One person has died and another five people have been injured after Russian forces bombarded the Ukrainian port city of Odesa with more missile strikes.
The Ukrainian military said seven missiles were fired from the air on Monday night, hitting a shopping centre and a warehouse.
“While seeking strategic targets, obsolete missiles managed to hit an ‘extremely dangerous’ shopping centre and a warehouse for consumer goods,” Natalya Gumenyuk, a military spokeswoman, said on Facebook.
Witnesses said they heard several loud explosions in the city centre about 10pm local time, which caused buildings to shake.
Social media footage showed at least one fire burning, with a witness reporting a large shopping centre went up in flames.
A resident reported hearing the missile strikes more than 25 miles from Odesa.
It comes as missiles struck tourist sites in the city just a few hours earlier, destroying five buildings and injuring two people.
Odesa city council reported three cruise missiles were fired from a Tu-22 bomber, with some images suggesting a residential-industrial area had been hit.
Follow the latest updates below.
01:11 AM
Ukraine calls for moves to unblock ports and prevent global food crisis
Ukraine’s president said on Monday that trade at the country’s ports was at a standstill and urged the international community to take immediate steps to end a Russian blockade to allow wheat shipments and prevent a global food crisis.
Volodymyr Zelensky made the comments after speaking to European Council President Charles Michel, who was visiting Odesa – the major Black Sea port for exporting agricultural products where missiles struck tourist sites and destroyed buildings on Monday.
“For the first time in decades and decades, in Odesa there is no regular movement of the merchant fleet, there is no routine port work. This has probably never happened in Odesa since World War Two,” Mr Zelensky said in a video address.
12:48 AM
Europe needs to think about the price to pay for peace, Zelensky says
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday said Europe has to once again think about the price to be paid for peace on the continent, like it did in World War II.
In his nightly video address, Mr Zelensky said history would hold Russia responsible.
“And we, Ukrainians, will continue to work toward our defense, our victory and on restoring justice. Today, tomorrow and any other day that is necessary to free Ukraine from the occupiers,” he said.
Mr Zelensky ended the address by promising that the Ukrainian flag will one day once again fly over all of its cities.
“The Ukrainian flag will return. Because this is our country. A free European country,” he said.
12:39 AM
In pictures: Odesa destruction as city bombarded with missile attack
12:23 AM
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