Russia strikes Odesa, as Putin claims counteroffensive 'failed'
Published: 05:07 PM,Jul 23,2023 | EDITED : 09:07 PM,Jul 23,2023
KYIV: Russia's latest strike on Odesa on Sunday killed two people and severely damaged a historic Orthodox cathedral, drawing a vow of retaliation from Ukraine's leader.
The 18th century Transfiguration Cathedral, the biggest Orthodox church in Odesa, lies within the Unesco-protected historic city centre.
The strike on the port city, which Russia has pounded since quitting the Black Sea grain deal last week, came just hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin met his Belarus counterpart for talks.
Putin claimed Kyiv's counteroffensive had 'failed' as he met his closest ally, Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko, in Saint Petersburg -- the first time since Minsk helped end a revolt by Russian Wagner fighters.
On the Black Sea in Odesa, locals looked in disbelief as the Transfiguration Cathedral -- originally built in 1794 under imperial Russian rule -- was badly damaged.
President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed retaliation: 'They will definitely feel this,' he said.
Images showed smashed mosaics on the cathedral floor as workers cleared the rubble.
'There was a direct hit to the cathedral, it completely damaged three altars,' Father Myroslav, the assistant rector of the cathedral said.
He said icons were pulled out from under the rubble and that the shrine is 'very badly damaged inside', with 'only the bell tower intact.'
Clergymen said a security guard and a priest readying for a morning liturgy were inside during the attack but both survived.
Russia blamed the cathedral damage on Ukrainian air defence.
Moscow said it had hit all its intended targets in the Odesa strike, claiming the sites were being used to prepare 'terrorist acts' against Russia.
As Odesa cleared rubble from the Russian strikes, Putin hosted his ally Lukashenko in his native city of Saint Petersburg, claiming that the Ukrainian counteroffensive to take back land captured by Russia had failed.
The Belarus strongman now hosts Wagner fighters on his territory, after brokering a deal that convinced its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin to end a march on Moscow and exile himself to Belarus.
'They are asking to go West, ask me for permission... to go on a trip to Warsaw, to Rzeszow,' Lukashenko said, referring to Wagner fighters
'We are controlling what is happening (with Wagner),' he said, thanking Putin for vowing to defend Belarus should it be attacked.
After their talks, Putin and Lukashenko greeted crowds in the naval town and base of Kronstadt on Kotlin Island in a rare walkabout. — AFP
The 18th century Transfiguration Cathedral, the biggest Orthodox church in Odesa, lies within the Unesco-protected historic city centre.
The strike on the port city, which Russia has pounded since quitting the Black Sea grain deal last week, came just hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin met his Belarus counterpart for talks.
Putin claimed Kyiv's counteroffensive had 'failed' as he met his closest ally, Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko, in Saint Petersburg -- the first time since Minsk helped end a revolt by Russian Wagner fighters.
On the Black Sea in Odesa, locals looked in disbelief as the Transfiguration Cathedral -- originally built in 1794 under imperial Russian rule -- was badly damaged.
President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed retaliation: 'They will definitely feel this,' he said.
Images showed smashed mosaics on the cathedral floor as workers cleared the rubble.
'There was a direct hit to the cathedral, it completely damaged three altars,' Father Myroslav, the assistant rector of the cathedral said.
He said icons were pulled out from under the rubble and that the shrine is 'very badly damaged inside', with 'only the bell tower intact.'
Clergymen said a security guard and a priest readying for a morning liturgy were inside during the attack but both survived.
Russia blamed the cathedral damage on Ukrainian air defence.
Moscow said it had hit all its intended targets in the Odesa strike, claiming the sites were being used to prepare 'terrorist acts' against Russia.
As Odesa cleared rubble from the Russian strikes, Putin hosted his ally Lukashenko in his native city of Saint Petersburg, claiming that the Ukrainian counteroffensive to take back land captured by Russia had failed.
The Belarus strongman now hosts Wagner fighters on his territory, after brokering a deal that convinced its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin to end a march on Moscow and exile himself to Belarus.
'They are asking to go West, ask me for permission... to go on a trip to Warsaw, to Rzeszow,' Lukashenko said, referring to Wagner fighters
'We are controlling what is happening (with Wagner),' he said, thanking Putin for vowing to defend Belarus should it be attacked.
After their talks, Putin and Lukashenko greeted crowds in the naval town and base of Kronstadt on Kotlin Island in a rare walkabout. — AFP