The UK Ministry of Defence has criticised the Russian bombing campaign which has heavily targeted Ukraine’s port city of Odesa in recent days for “poor intelligence and a dysfunctional targeting”.

Since the Kremlin did not renew the Black Sea grain deal, the Kremlin appears to feel less politically constrained and is now attempting to target specific locations in Odesa, where as it has previously refrained from striking civil infrastructure in the southern ports.

Russia has launched a wave of long-range strikes on Odesa and other regions in southern Ukraine in recent days.

The MoD believes that Russia suspects that Ukraine might be storing military assets in these areas, leading to an increase in attacks.

However, the MoD pointed out that since the start of the war, Russia’s strike campaign has been characterised by poor intelligence and a dysfunctional targeting process.

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The Ministry of Defence briefing said: “Since 18 July 2023, Russia has conducted greater numbers of long-range strikes against Odesa and other areas of southern Ukraine. These attacks have featured an unusual number of AS-4 KITCHEN missiles, a 5.5 tonne weapon originally designed to destroy aircraft carriers.

“Damage has included several grain silos at Chornomorsk Port, south of Odesa, as well as the historic city centre. On 24 July 2023, Russia extended one-way attack drone strikes to the docks on the Danube River, approximately 200 metres from the Romanian border.

“Between August 2022 and June 2023, when the Black Sea Grain Initiative was still in force, Russia generally refrained from striking civil infrastructure in the southern ports.

“Since Russia failed to renew the deal, the Kremlin likely feels less politically constrained, and is attempting to strike targets in Odesa because it believes Ukraine is storing military assets in these areas.”

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Russia struck the Ukrainian Black Sea city of Odesa on Sunday (July 23), keeping up a barrage of attacks that has damaged critical port infrastructure in southern Ukraine in the past week. At least one person was killed and 22 others wounded in the early morning attack, officials said.

Four children were among those wounded in the blasts, which severely damaged 25 landmarks across the city, including the historic Transfiguration Cathedral.

Russia has been launching repeated attacks on Odesa, a key hub for exporting grain, since Moscow cancelled a landmark grain deal on Monday amid Kyiv’s grinding efforts to retake its occupied territories.

Russia struck the Ukrainian Black Sea city of Odesa on Sunday, keeping up ua barrage of attacks that has damaged critical port infrastructure in southern Ukraine in the past week. At least one person was killed and 22 others wounded in the early morning attack, officials said.

Four children were among those wounded in the blasts, which severely damaged 25 landmarks across the city, including the historic Transfiguration Cathedral.

Russia has been launching repeated attacks on Odesa, a key hub for exporting grain, since Moscow canceled a landmark grain deal on Monday amid Kyiv’s grinding efforts to retake its occupied territories.

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Regional Gov. Oleh Kiper said that six residential buildings were destroyed by the strikes.

Some people were trapped in their apartments following the attack, which left rubble strewn in the street and partly blocking the road.

Ukraine’s air force reported on the Telegram messaging app that Russia had launched 19 missiles in the Odesa region, including five high-precision winged Onyx missiles and four sea-to-shore Kalibr cruise missiles. It said that Ukrainian air defences shot down nine.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Sunday its forces attacked sites in Odesa “where terrorist acts against the Russian Federation were being prepared.”

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