Russian cruise missile strike on southern Ukrainian city of Odesa kills 3, injures 13

Regional authorities say Russian forces fired cruise missiles at the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa overnight, killing at least three people and injuring more than a dozen others

Russian forces fired cruise missiles at the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa overnight, killing at least three people and injuring more than a dozen others in a strike that damaged homes, a warehouse, shops and cafes downtown, the regional state administration said.

The attack launched from the Black Sea involved four sea-launched Kalibr cruise missiles, three of which were intercepted by air defenses, the regional administration said on Facebook.

Three employees of a food warehouse were killed and seven others injured, and searchers were looking for possible survivors under the rubble, it said. Another six people — guards and residents of a neighboring house — were injured.

Andriy Kovalov, a spokesperson for Ukraine's General Staff, said Russian forces have increased missile and aerial strikes on Ukraine. It comes as Kyiv moves forward with the early stages of a counteroffensive.

In a briefing, he said strikes on the Kharkiv, Donetsk, Kirovohrad regions, in addition to the Odesa region, involved Kh-22 cruise missiles, sea-launched Kalibr cruise missiles, and Iranian-made Shaheed drones. Nine were intercepted.