Odesa endured the largest strike of the full-scale war overnight, – Kovalenko

UNIAN, State Emergency Service of Ukraine, facebook.com/AlexanderKovalenkoUAOdesa and Odesa region on the night of 9 August suffered the most extensive attack during the entire period of the full-scale invasion. This was stated by military-political commentator Oleksandr Kovalenko.

He noted that there are currently no official data on the number and types of weapons Russia used specifically in the region, and the information from monitoring channels differs significantly. At the same time, according to him, even the available data indicate an unprecedented scale of the attack on Odesa and the region over the past more than four years.

According to various monitoring channels, Russian forces may have used from 70 to 90 strike drones of the Shahed-136/Shahed-238 type overnight. The number of drones shot down is currently unknown, Kovalenko said. It was also reported that between 5 and 7 9M723 missiles, between 2 and 11 3M55 "Oniks" missiles, five "Banderol" missiles — all of which, according to these reports, were shot down — and one Kh-31P missile were used.

The main strikes were concentrated on Odesa and its suburbs, Chornomorsk, and the area of the settlement of Mayaky.

Problems with Odesa's air defense

The commentator emphasized that since 2022 he has repeatedly spoken about the need to strengthen Odesa's air defense, which is one of Ukraine's key maritime logistics hubs.

He said the main feature of defending the city is the need to account for the threat from the Black Sea. At the same time, over more than four years of the full-scale war, Kovalenko asserts, he has not seen fundamental changes in addressing the main problems of countering missile strikes.

Kovalenko believes that Russia may try to make massive attacks on Odesa systematic, as the enemy studies Ukrainian weak points. In his view, the city could become one of the main targets alongside Kyiv, with less intensive attacks occurring between large-scale strikes.

"A closed circle of passivity"

Kovalenko separately criticized the lack, in his view, of medium-term planning and adequate communication between local and central authorities regarding strengthening Odesa's air defense.

He recounted that several years ago he had the opportunity to speak with military attachés and ambassadors of other countries in Ukraine about providing Odesa with additional air defense means. According to him, diplomatic representatives explained that they could not consider such requests without an official appeal from Kyiv.

At the same time, Kovalenko noted, the central government receives requests from the city, while the city authorities do not make such appeals. He called this "a closed circle of passivity and inaction in the fifth year of the war."

In the commentator's view, despite Odesa's strategic importance as a maritime logistics hub, the city still has not received proper attention from either local or central authorities.

A difficult autumn-winter period ahead

Kovalenko also urged preparing for a difficult autumn-winter period. He does not expect a significant improvement in the situation in the near future.

"Winter 2025-2026 will seem like a vacation on a blue shore compared to what awaits us with these trends in 2026-2027," he said.

Russia's attack on Odesa – what is known

As UNIAN wrote, on the night of 9 August Russia massively attacked Odesa with drones and missiles. Due to hits, a significant part of the regional center has no electricity or water. At least 8 civilians were injured.

According to the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, from 18:00 on Saturday, 8 August, the enemy attacked Odesa region with ballistic, anti-ship and anti-radar missiles: "Iskander-M/S-400", "Oniks", Kh-31P. Missiles were launched from the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea and from the waters of the Black Sea. Dozens of drones were also launched toward the region.