Larisa Kozova, Kateryna Chernovol08:32, 19.03.26

The city was attacked by more than two dozen UAVs.

On the night of March 19, the Russian occupation army launched a massive drone strike on Odessa . The attack resulted in a residential complex being hit.

Updated 01:25: According to the head of the Odessa MVA Serhiy Lysak , two high-rise buildings, a residential building in the historical center, and buildings in the private sector were damaged. As a result of the enemy attack, fires broke out, which were quickly extinguished.

There is also information about the victims.

“Currently, three victims are known, two of them were hospitalized in the city hospital. All emergency and municipal services are working on the scene, the elimination of the consequences is ongoing,” Lysak added. 

As an UNIAN correspondent previously reported, an air alert was declared in the region at around 11:40 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18. Monitoring channels warned that more than two dozen drones were heading towards the city from the Black Sea.

Soon, explosions and shooting began in Odessa. Drones could be heard flying over residential buildings.

Subsequently, the head of the Odessa City Military Administration, Serhiy Lysak, reported that flights into residential infrastructure had been recorded:

“As a result of a massive enemy attack, we have damage to a residential high-rise building in one of the city’s districts, as well as a non-residential building in another district. All operational and emergency services are already working on the ground. Information about the victims is currently being clarified.”

Eyewitnesses reported on social media that there were hits (falling debris) in several places in Odessa. In particular, an enemy drone flew into one of the city’s residential complexes.

There is also damage in the city center. An apartment building in another area of ​​the city was damaged. 

Updated 08:25 . Spokesperson for the Odessa Regional Prosecutor’s Office Inna Verba told UNIAN that at night the enemy massively attacked the city with strike drones, which injured three civilians. These are a 46-year-old and 69-year-old woman, who were taken to the hospital, as well as a 31-year-old man – he received assistance on the spot. Criminal proceedings have been initiated under Part 1 of Art. 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Currently, prosecutors, together with other law enforcement officers, are recording the consequences on the spot.

According to the press service of the regional headquarters of the State Emergency Service, the attacks resulted in the destruction of apartments on the 18th and 19th floors of a 25-story residential building, followed by a fire.  

A two-story residential building was also destroyed and a fire was reported. In another residential sector, the second floor of a three-story building collapsed, causing apartments and a car parked nearby to catch fire. In total, more than 10 cars were damaged. 3 people were rescued from the building, and 19 citizens, including 3 children, were provided with assistance by psychologists of the State Emergency Service.

In addition, an apartment on the 14th floor of a 22-story residential building caught fire, from which 70 people were evacuated. 

The State Emergency Service deployed 28 units of equipment and over 120 rescuers to eliminate the consequences.

Also, according to the head of the Odessa OVA, Oleg Kiper, damage was recorded to more than 10 vehicles on the territory of one of the communal enterprises, and equipment was damaged. 

According to the head of the MVA Serhiy Lysak, the consequences were recorded in three of the four districts of Odessa. According to preliminary data, as of 7:00, it is known that 12 residential buildings were damaged in the Primorsky district. In the Kyiv district, a 22-story residential building and a dormitory of one of the universities were damaged – in total, about 180 windows were broken, in the Khadzhibeysky district – partial destruction of a 2-story residential building.

On the ground, utility workers are cleaning the area, closing damaged windows, etc. Headquarters are working at all locations, and the scale of the destruction is being clarified.

(C)UNIAN 2026