The United Nations has strongly condemned a Russian missile strike on the historic city of Odesa in southern Ukraine, which left at least seven people injured and caused severe damage to cultural landmarks.
The Black Sea port city, known for its 19th-century architecture, has been a frequent target of Russian attacks.
UNESCO, the UN’s cultural agency, denounced the strike, stating that the attack hit Odesa’s historic centre, a designated World Heritage site.
At least two culturally significant buildings protected under UNESCO conventions were damaged.
“UNESCO condemns the missile attack on the historic centre of Odesa, a World Heritage site, severely damaging at least two cultural buildings placed under UNESCO Conventions’ protection,” the organisation said. It added that its team is already working with Ukrainian authorities to assess the damage and coordinate emergency restoration efforts.
Regional governor Oleg Kiper reported that seven people, including two women and a child, were wounded in what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described as an “absolutely deliberate attack by Russian terrorists.” He noted that it was fortunate no deaths were recorded.
Images posted by Kiper showed emergency responders evacuating a woman on a stretcher outside the historic Bristol Hotel, a 19th-century landmark that suffered significant damage.
Photos and videos shared by Ukraine’s emergency services revealed shattered windows, debris-covered streets, and a woman being pulled from the wreckage.
Firefighters also rescued a woman trapped inside and extinguished a fire on the hotel’s roof.
According to Zelensky, Norwegian diplomatic representatives were present in the area when the attack occurred.
Odesa’s mayor, Gennadiy Trukhanov, described the extent of the destruction as “widespread,” particularly in the UNESCO-protected area.
Odesa’s historic centre, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, has suffered repeated strikes since the Russian invasion.
The city’s Transfiguration Cathedral, which was originally destroyed by the Soviets and rebuilt in the 2000s, was heavily damaged in a Russian missile strike in July 2023.
Kiper noted that several prominent historical institutions, including the Literary Museum, the Historical and Local Lore Museum, the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Western and Eastern Art, and the Philharmonic, suffered damage, with shattered windows and damaged facades.
Ukrainian media published images showing a large crater near the Bristol Hotel, along with fallen masonry and blown-out windows.
Meanwhile, Russian military bloggers speculated that foreign military personnel were staying at the hotel, though no evidence has been provided to support the claim.
