Kyiv [Ukraine], March 3: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had called on Western allies to deliver more air defence systems after at least seven people were killed in a Russian drone strike on Odesa.
A three-month-old baby and a three-year-old child were among the victims of the overnight strike on Ukraine's southern city, local officials said.
"Russia continues to wage war on civilians," President Zelensky said. Russian troops have recently made gains in Ukraine which faces arms shortages.
Last month, Moscow took control of the key eastern town of Avdiivka. Ukraine's commander-in-chief has signalled he will replace some military leaders on the eastern front. In a post on Telegram on Saturday, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said a nine-storey building had been destroyed as a result of "an attack by Russian terrorists" in Odesa.
Footage from the scene showed that several floors of a residential building had been destroyed.
The death toll has risen steadily throughout the day, as rescuers pulled out more bodies from the rubble.
At least seven people are now confirmed to have been killed and another eight injured. But a number of people are still unaccounted for, and there are fears the death toll will rise further.
Separately, Ukrainian officials said one person had been killed in the north-eastern Kharkiv region near the Russian border and another in the southern Kherson region.
In a post on social media, Zelensky said: "We need more air defences from our partners. We need to strengthen the Ukrainian air shield to add more protection for our people from Russian terror. More air defence systems and more missiles for air defence systems saves lives."
Ukraine's air force said it had downed 14 or 17 drone launched by Russia overnight.
Source: Qatar Tribune