Ukrainian police officers inspect missile debris in front of a damaged building in Odessa, southern Ukraine on April 24, 2022, which was reportedly hit by missile strike. — AFP pic
KYIV, May 1 — A Russian missile strike today knocked out the newly-constructed runway at the main airport in the Ukrainian city of Odesa, a strategic Black Sea port, military and civilian officials said.
“The Odesa airport runway was destroyed. We will, of course, rebuild it. But Odesa will never forget Russia’s behaviour towards it,” President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a late night address.
Odesa regional governor Maksym Marchenko said Russia had used a Bastion missile, launched from Crimea.
“Thank God no one was hurt. Anti-sabotage measures are being carried out in the region,” he said in a video posted online.
Odesa mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov said it had taken 10 years to design and build the new runway, which was formally opened last July.
“Thanks to the new runway we were expecting a colossal influx of tourists from all over the world. Instead, we got a rocket strike,” he said on Facebook.
“But Odesa is not a city which surrenders to difficulties. We will absolutely restore the runway after our victory and even more tourists will come to us.”
Russia’s military has not yet confirmed the strike. — Reuters