Ship burns after Russian strike in Odesa region: Zelenskyy responds

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has commented on a Russian missile strike on the Odesa region that damaged a civilian vessel at the port of Chornomorsk. He said the attack had no military purpose.

Zelenskyy made the statement on social media.

In his evening address, the Ukrainian president condemned the latest Russian strike on southern Ukraine, which came after an overnight attack on Odesa’s energy infrastructure.

“A civilian vessel was damaged at the port of Chornomorsk. This once again shows that Russia is not taking seriously the current chance for diplomacy and is continuing a war aimed precisely at destroying normal life in Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.

He added that he had earlier discussed the situation around Odesa in talks with U.S. President Donald Trump. Zelenskyy underscored the need for the global community to clearly distinguish who is dragging out the war and who is seeking to bring it to a peaceful end.

“Who is firing ballistic missiles at civilian life, and who is hitting targets that directly affect Russia’s war machine. I am grateful to everyone worldwide who is helping spread truthful information,” Zelenskyy said.

The president said that in Odesa and Chornomorsk, as well as in Kharkiv, Sumy, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and cities across the Donetsk region, “everything possible is being done to protect lives.”

“And Moscow’s desire to wage war must cease, and that depends entirely on how the world reacts to Russia’s actions,” the Ukrainian president said.