Drone Strike Sparks Massive Fire at Clothing Warehouses in Odesa Region

Russian forces launched a large-scale drone attack on the Odesa region overnight on Oct. 12-13, hitting a suburb of the regional capital and setting warehouses storing clothing and textiles on fire, Ukrainian emergency services said.

The fire destroyed more than 5,000 square meters of warehouses containing fabrics, clothing, shoes, and sewing equipment. One vehicle was also destroyed.

Marina Averina, a spokesperson for the regional State Emergency Service (SES), stated that firefighters struggled with the severe fire and a lack of water on site. Crews had to bring water from nearby sources to fight the blaze.

One person was injured in the attack. Firefighters employed 16 units of equipment and 56 personnel, with help from the municipal unit Avangard, the National Guard, and volunteers. As of 8 a.m., crews were still working to extinguish the fire.

The Odesa Regional Prosecutor’s Office said the strike damaged four warehouse buildings. A 60-year-old man was hospitalized. Authorities have opened a war crimes investigation, a standard procedure for all incidents since Russia went full-scale in February 2022.

This was the third drone strike on the Odesa region in three nights. On Oct. 11-12, Russian drones hit energy and gas infrastructure, and on Oct. 10-11, a strike left 44 settlements without power and disrupted Odesa’s electric transportation. 

The strike follows a similar attack on Oct. 8-9 that targeted the region’s energy infrastructure, cutting power to more than 30,000 users.

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