At least eight people have been killed and 27 others injured after a Russian ballistic missile strike hit port infrastructure in Ukraine’s southwestern Odesa region, Ukrainian authorities reported Saturday.

The overnight attack struck a key logistics area near Ukraine’s Black Sea port, causing fires and widespread damage, officials said.

Odesa regional governor Oleh Kiper announced the assault on social media, saying the large-scale attack targeted a port infrastructure facility and ignited a number of trucks parked nearby. Some of those injured were aboard a passenger bus that was at the epicentre of the blast, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.

Kiper noted that ongoing air alerts in the region have complicated rescue and emergency operations, slowing efforts to extinguish fires and treat the wounded. Trucks in the parking area caught fire after the missile impact, and several passenger vehicles were damaged, authorities said.

Rescue crews from multiple regions have been deployed to assist in managing the aftermath of the attack, which comes amid what Ukrainian officials describe as intensified aerial pressure on the Odesa region in recent weeks.

The strike is the latest in a series of Russian bombardments of southern Ukrainian infrastructure, particularly targeting the strategically vital ports that serve as gateways for Ukraine’s grain exports and international trade. Earlier this month, a separate Russian assault on energy facilities caused major blackouts affecting hundreds of thousands of households in Odesa and neighboring regions.

In addition, Kiper reported that a previous Russian drone attack near Odesa killed a civilian and damaged power infrastructure, underscoring the persistent threat to both civilian life and critical infrastructure in the south.

The Odesa region has long been a focal point of Russia’s military campaign against Ukraine, with major port facilities repeatedly struck since the full-scale Russian invasion began in February 2022. Previous attacks have damaged foreign-flagged civilian vessels and disrupted grain exports vital to global food supply chains.

Ukrainian forces have responded with their own operations, including recent long-range drone strikes beyond the Black Sea, such as attacks on Russian “shadow fleet” tankers in the Mediterranean – part of Kyiv’s broader effort to target Russian economic lifelines.

Diplomacy continues alongside the fighting, with US, European, and Ukrainian officials holding negotiations aimed at securing a ceasefire or broader peace agreement even as hostilities escalate in and around Odesa.

Russian authorities have not yet commented on the latest claims and independent verification remains difficult due to the ongoing conflict. Both sides in the war routinely dispute casualty figures and details of military actions.  (ILKHA)