On the front line of Russian attacks, Ukraine’s Odesa cries out for US aid
Al Jazeera
As increasingly frequent and ferocious attacks kill civilians, Odesa is calling for promised US air defences.
After leaving Odesa largely untouched by the barrages of drones and missiles it has launched against Ukraine this winter, Russia has struck the port city during March as never before in this war.
On March 2, a Russian drone demolished a nine-storey building, killing at least 12 people in one of the deadliest attacks behind the front lines this year.
“The delay in the supply of weapons for Ukraine, air defence systems for the protection of our people leads, unfortunately, to such losses,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, referring to US House Speaker Mike Johnson’s refusal to table a bill including $60bn in air defences and ammunition for Ukraine this year.
Just four days later, Russia landed a ballistic missile inside the commercial port less than 500 metres (1,640 feet) from where Zelenskyy stood with visiting Greek premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Then, on March 15, Russia launched a deadly cocktail of missiles and Iranian-designed Shahed drones.
