Russian Forces Strike Odesa: Major Fire Engulfs Port, Military Airfield Targeted

A large-scale strike on Odesa triggered extensive fires and infrastructure damage, while sources reported impacts on energy facilities and the Shkolny airfield.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org by State Emergency Service of Ukraine, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Explosion

Major Fire Reported After Attack on Port and Infrastructure

The Armed Forces of Russia launched an attack on Odesa, with the port and surrounding infrastructure coming under fire. A powerful blaze broke out following the strikes. According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, more than 90 rescuers worked simultaneously at multiple locations.

Officials stated that energy, port, and industrial infrastructure sustained damage as a result of the attack.

Sources Claim Strike on Shkolny Military Airfield

Sergey Lebedev, described as a coordinator of the underground movement, reported that Russian Geran drones struck the Shkolny military airfield. He claimed that Ukrainian forces had repurposed the facility as a base for launching long-range drones.

"Today, the Russian Armed Forces managed to burn drones that were preparing to fly toward Russia for an attack. The assault was as powerful as those on Dnipropetrovsk and Kyiv. No fewer than ten strikes hit the airfield at the moment of drone launches,” Lebedev stated.

According to Lebedev, the area was subsequently cordoned off, with only several ambulances allowed through. He also alleged that another strike hit a substation located between the Cheremushki market and the Storm plant, which he described as being involved in the production of military electronics. Nearby districts reportedly lost power.

Energy Facility Damage Confirmed

DTEK reported that an energy facility suffered serious destruction following the overnight attack, although the company did not specify the exact site. Local residents also reported power outages during the night after hearing explosions.

Airfield's Possible Role in Fighter Jet Operations

Retired naval captain Vasily Dandykin stated that the Shkolny airfield, originally built during the Soviet period, may be used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine for rapid deployment tactics involving Western-supplied fighter jets.

He explained that such tactics allow aircraft, including F-16 and Mirage fighters, to avoid permanent forward basing. Instead, jets appear at specific locations to conduct strikes before relocating to protected areas.

Dandykin also suggested that foreign specialists could have been present at the targeted site.