Russian strike kills 5 people and a dog, injures 32 in Odesa

This was reported by the head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, Oleh Kiper.

As of the morning of April 30, the number of victims increased to 5.

"A man born in 1960 died in the hospital. I express my sincere condolences to his family and friends...23 victims are being treated in medical institutions. Eight people are in serious condition, 4 of them are in extremely serious condition, including a four-year-old girl," Kiper said.

Odesa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov said that as of Tuesday morning, 17 people, including one child, were still in hospitals.

"Their condition is of varying severity. Doctors are providing all the necessary assistance," the mayor added.

Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesman for the Southern Defense Forces, said in a telethon that Russia probably struck Odesa with an Iskander missile that was equipped with cassettes.

"Preliminarily, it is an Iskander cluster, but until all the relevant examinations are conducted, I will not be able to say for sure. However, most of the holes in the walls had striking elements, such as shrapnel, and the explosion was aerial," the spokesman added.

A day of mourning

The head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, Oleh Kiper, said that April 30 was declared a day of mourning in Odesa and the region. 

"In connection with the death of five people as a result of a Russian missile attack on Odesa, a day of mourning has been declared in Odesa region today," he said in a statement.

Chronology of April 29

"According to preliminary information, eight people were injured as a result of the Russian attack. There is damage to residential buildings and civilian infrastructure. All relevant services are working at the scene," he wrote.

The head of the region also reminded of the need to respond promptly to air raid alerts.

As of 8:30 p.m., it was reported that three people and a dog were killed in Odesa. In particular, one of the wounded women, born in 1983, died in hospital, said Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov.

At 8:50 p.m., Kiper informed that the number of victims of the Russian strike on Odesa had increased to four. Three women and one man were killed. 

According to updated information, 28 people were injured. Among them are two children, aged 16 and 5, and one pregnant woman. Four of the wounded are in serious condition, and doctors are fighting for their lives.

Valentyn Fedorov, vice-rector of the Odesa Law Academy, said in a commentary to Suspilne that former MP and rector of the National University of Odesa Law Academy Serhiy Kivalov was among those wounded in the Russian attack.

The explosion also set fire to a building known in Odesa as Kivalov's Castle or "Harry Potter's Castle". The roof has almost burned down. The Dumska media outlet reported, citing the State Emergency Service, that the fire in the castle was assigned the highest level of complexity. Due to the difficulty of passing, the equipment cannot get closer than 600 meters to the building itself.

The Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office has launched a pre-trial investigation in criminal proceedings over violation of the laws and customs of war (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

At 9:45 p.m., the State Emergency Service reported that the fire was extinguished.

"Firefighters extinguished a large-scale attic fire in a 4-storey building over an area of 600 m2. Psychologists of the State Emergency Service and the National Police provided assistance to 37 people, including 2 children," the statement said.

Also, according to rescuers, 4 people died and 29 people were injured, including 2 children.

Russians attacked with ballistic missiles, preliminary - with cluster munitions

As of 10 p.m., it is known that 4 people and a dog were killed in the attack. Another man died as a result of a stroke that the attack provoked. 32 people are wounded, 25 are in hospitals, including two children and a pregnant woman.

"The girl, who is not yet five years old, is in extremely serious condition. Six other adults are also in intensive care. Our doctors are doing everything possible and impossible," wrote Oleh Kiper. 

It was also reported that the Russian troops attacked Odesa with a ballistic missile, previously fitted with a cluster munition.

"Such ammunition is used to defeat manpower and poses a threat primarily to people, not to equipment and buildings," the statement said.