Russian Drone Attack on Odesa Leaves 3 Injured, Sparks Fires and Power Outages

A large-scale Russian drone attack hit Odesa and its surrounding region on the evening of Thursday, March 20, damaging civilian infrastructure and leaving three people injured. The victims included a teenage girl, according to Oleh Kiper, head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration.

The attack, carried out with Shahed-type kamikaze drones, targeted a high-rise residential building, a shopping center, and multiple stores. Fires erupted at three locations following the strikes.

Kiper reported that emergency power outages were also triggered in the Prymorskyi, Peresypsky, and Kyivskyi districts of Odesa. 

The attack is part of a shift in Russian tactics, with Moscow now launching larger numbers of drones in an attempt to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defense systems, said Andriy Kovalenko, head of the National Security and Defense Council’s Center for Countering Disinformation.

Russian troops also targeted a recreational area in a resort district, destroying and setting buildings on fire at a children’s camp that has been closed since the start of the invasion.

In Zaporizhzhia, “as a result of the enemy attack, at least four residential buildings and buildings on the territory of a dacha cooperative were damaged. Preliminary, six people are wounded, including one child,” said the head of the region’s Military Administration, Ivan Fedorov.

The Air Force had previously warned of potential guided bomb strikes on the southern region. Four explosions were reported via social media just before midnight. Rescuers continue to look for victims.

Zaporizhzhia is the site of Europe’s largest nuclear plant, a highly contested energy asset in peace talks.

The day before, air strikes hit residences in the Kirovohrad region, injuring least 14 people, including four children. A separate strike in the Sumy region on Thursday killed two people. Nearly 100 buildings were destroyed in all.