Russia launches massive attack on Ukraine: casualties reported in Odesa, Kherson

Aftermath in Odesa

At 8:49 p.m., Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov reported explosions in the city. Later, the regional administration confirmed that the attack caused fires on the roof of a restaurant and a warehouse, damaging an administrative building, a car wash, a roadway, and the windows of a private house.

"One person was injured — a 55-year-old woman hospitalized in moderate condition," said regional governor Kiper.

He added that the attack left about 5,000 residents in one of Odesa’s districts without power.

"All emergency services are working to eliminate the consequences of both today’s and yesterday’s attacks. Due to two days of strikes on the Odesa district, 89,500 consumers remain without electricity. Restoration efforts continue around the clock," Kiper concluded.

Later, Kiper corrected his statement, clarifying that a man, not a woman, had been hospitalized.

"A heating main was damaged, leaving some customers without heating," Trukhanov reported.

It was later confirmed that Russia had targeted a DTEK energy facility in the Odesa region. The company’s press service stated that inspections and emergency repairs would begin as soon as energy workers received clearance from the military and emergency services.

Odesa district council deputy and volunteer Valentyna Shultz told Espreso that today’s Shahed drone attack hit the Peresypskyi district. She noted that while power has been restored to most buildings, the heating situation remains critical. Currently, 250,000 consumers are still without heat, and around 90,000 remain without electricity.

Air defense active in Kyiv

At 10:18 p.m., Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko reported the work of air defense against Russian drones.

"It’s loud in the capital. Air defense forces are working against Russian UAVs. Stay in shelters!" Klitschko said.

Later, the Kyiv City Military Administration confirmed that a drone heading toward Kyiv had been destroyed.

"Relevant services are working at the crash site in the Holosiivskyi district. No casualties or damage," wrote Tymur Tkachenko.

At 11:33 p.m., an explosion was heard in Kyiv, according to an Espreso correspondent.

Two minutes later, Klitschko wrote: "More Russian UAVs heading toward the capital from the direction of Brovary. Air defense is active again in the city."

"Air defense forces are working in various districts of the capital. The UAV attack on Kyiv continues," he added later.

At 12:07 a.m., explosions were heard again, according to an Espreso correspondent. At 12:35 a.m., the Kyiv City Military Administration reported that air defense forces were working to eliminate the threat in the sky over Kyiv.

Aerial attack on Kherson

Last night, a guided aerial bomb hit a high-rise building in the Dniprovskyi district of Kherson. The first reported victims were 13-year-old twins. The boy and girl were taken to the hospital with mine-blast injuries and acute stress reactions.

According to local authorities, Russian troops launched three guided bombs at the city. One bomb struck an apartment building in the Central district.

By the morning of February 20, it was reported that at least six people were injured in the attack, including two children. Two residents were rescued and brought out from blocked apartments via balconies using an aerial ladder.

Rescue teams are currently inspecting the damaged floors and clearing rubble, as people may still be trapped beneath it.

On February 20, the head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, Oleksandr Prokudin, reported a fatality caused by the Russian strike.

"Rescuers retrieved the body of a man from the rubble of a section of the high-rise building destroyed by a Russian guided bomb. Authorities are now working to identify the victim," the statement said.

Attack on Kyiv region

In the morning, the Kyiv Regional Military Administration reported that debris from shot-down targets had damaged private houses and cars in two districts of the region.

In the Bila Tserkva district, 8 private houses and 4 cars were damaged. Windows, doors were shattered, and roofs and facades were damaged. The glass in the apartments of a multi-story residential building was also broken.

Meanwhile, in the Vyshhorod district, 4 private houses, a car, and outbuildings were damaged.