Damage to the historic center of Odesa in southern Ukraine from Russian strikes, January 31, 2025


Friday’s Coverage: Kyiv’s Drones Shut Down A Major Russian Port


Map: Institute for the Study of War


UPDATE 1049 GMT:

The toll from Russia’s missile strike on a residential building in the city of Poltava (see 0856 GMT) has risen to at least four killed and 13 injured, including three children.

Twenty-two people were rescued.

The attack destroyed all five floors of one section of the block, caused a fire, and damaged 18 neighboring buildings.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky reacted:

Every such act of terror proves that we need greater support in defending against Russian terror. Every air defense system, every interceptor missile, means a life saved. It is crucial that our partners take action, fulfill our agreements, and increase pressure on Russia.


UPDATE 0900 GMT:

Moldova will supply 3 million cubic meters of gas to its Russian-occupied Transnistria region on Saturday.

The head of Moldovagaz head Vadim Cheban said the gas will be delivered as a “loan”, which must be repaid by March 1.

Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean announced financial aid of €64 million ($66.3 million) from the European Union for energy needs. The package includes €20 million ($20.7 million) for gas supplies to Transnistria.

Russian State company Gazprom halted gas supplies to Moldova on January 1, after neighboring Ukraine ended the transit of Russian gas through its territory. Gazprom declared that it was cutting supplies because of “unpaid debts”.

The gas suspension has led to widespread power outages and threatened industrial collapse in Transnistria, occupied by Russia since 1992.


UPDATE 0856 GMT:

Two civilians have been killed and seven injured, including a child, by a Russian missile strike on a residential building in Poltava in central Ukraine this morning.

Emergency workers rescued 21 people after a partial collapse of all five floors and a fire. Nearby houses and 12 cars were damaged.


ORIGINAL ENTRY: Russian strikes damaged the historic center of Odesa city, injuring at least seven civilians, in southern Ukraine on Friday evening.

Three explosions were reported around 8 p.m. Videos and photos showed damage to the five-star Bristol Hotel, a landmark built at the end of the 19th century,

Debris also smashed many windows of the Opera House, home to the Odesa Philharmonic, and damaged museums.

All the injured, including a hotel employee, are in “moderate” condition.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky posted:

Odesa’s historic center was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in January 2023. Six months later, during a week-long Russian barrage, a missile hit more than 20 architectural monuments, with heavy damage to the Transfiguration Cathedral.

Ukraine War, Day 516: Russia Damages Historic Cathedral, Destroys Grain Terminal in Odesa