A Russian missile with a cluster munition struck a landmark building in Odesa, killing five people yesterday at around 6:30 p.m.. Another man died of a heart attack, shortly thereafter. A dog was also killed by shrapnel.
The building on the seaside of Arcadia district was well known by Odesites as the “Harry Potter Castle.” It was the reception house of the International Humanitarian University, a private institution owned by Sergey Kivalov, former lawmaker in the Verkhovna Rada and supporter of former President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled to Russia after the Revolution of Dignity.
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At least 32 people were injured as a result of the attack, including 2 children and a pregnant woman. 25 of them were taken to the hospital, as reported by the head of the regional administration Oleg Kiper, who immediately visited the site. According to him, “the girl, who is not even five years old, is in extremely serious condition. Six more adults are also in intensive care.”
Kivalov himself, today’s rector of the university, was also wounded in the right thigh by shrapnel. He was hospitalized for severe bleeding at hospital No. 10; from there he went to a private clinic.
It was also reported later that among the victims there is Boris Vasiliev, the vice-rector for educational and innovative development and economic activity of the University.
The Russians launched a an Iskander-M missile with a cluster warhead, which explains the high number of casualties. Many of the injured people were walking in the nearby green area. Such munitions are used to kill manpower and pose a threat primarily to people, not to equipment and soldiers.
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A fire caused by the missile strike completely destroy the Harry Potter Castle before being extinguished by firefighters.
The prosecutor’s office has announced an investigation into the ballistic missile attack on Odesa for violating the laws and customs of war.
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