Russia Strikes Odessa Region with Drones and Missiles

Russia carried out overnight drone and missile assaults on Ukraine’s Odessa region, beginning Tuesday evening and continuing into the early hours of Wednesday, August 20. The strikes hit oil storage facilities, port infrastructure in Izmail, and a vessel docked at the port.

The attacks, which began around 8:00 p.m. local time, reportedly involved up to 20 Shahed drones. Russian media claimed that the Panama-registered chemical tanker Excellion was struck during the bombardment. The tanker’s starboard superstructure suffered severe damage, leaving the ship disabled.

Fires broke out at port facilities and a fuel storage site as a result of the strikes. The Izmail district administration confirmed that critical port infrastructure was damaged, noting that one civilian was injured and essential facilities sustained major harm.