Russia responds to allegations over Odesa attack; 'Russian troops do not shoot civilians'

The Russian Federation's armed forces do not shoot at civilian targets during the 'special operation', the Russian press secretary claimed on July 1. According to Ria Novosti, Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of Russia, on being asked about the missile attack on a residential building in the Odesa region, stated that the target were warehouses, military ammunition, and enterprises where military equipment is prepared, repaired and stored.

"I want to remind you once again the words of the President of the Russian Federation that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation during a special military operation do not work on civilian targets. They do not work on civilian targets, civilian infrastructure. At the same time, they work on warehouses, on military ammunition, at enterprises where military equipment is prepared and repaired, ammunition is stored, places of concentration, training and education of mercenaries, including foreign mercenaries and nationalist elements," Peskov stated, Ria Novosti reported.

According to Ukrainian officials, Russian missiles struck an apartment building and a resort near Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa, killing at least 19 people. Dozens more were injured in the early morning attack on July 1, which coincided with an increase in missile strikes across Ukraine over the previous two weeks.

Ukraine accused Russia of using inaccurate Soviet-era missiles in recent strikes

Ukrainian military officials have accused Russia of using inaccurate Soviet-era missiles in many recent strikes, including an attack on a shopping mall in the central city of Kremenchuk that killed 18 people on June 27 and a deadly strike in Kyiv on June 26 that ended weeks of relative calm in the capital city.

According to the Ukrainian emergency ministry, one missile struck a nine-story building in the village of Serhiivka at 1 a.m. local time on July 1. The attack started a fire in an attached building, the ministry reported. Serhiy Bratchuk, a spokesperson for the Odesa regional administration, told Ukrainian state television that a rescue operation was underway because some people remained buried beneath the rubble after a part of the building collapsed.

Meanwhile, Bratchuk informed that another missile struck a nearby resort facility, killing at least three people, including a child, and injuring one more. According to Ukraine's Security Service, 19 people were killed, including two children. Another 38 people were injured, including six children and a pregnant woman, according to the report.

Image: AP