Russia Strikes Ukraine's Facilities Producing Drone Boats Near Odessa

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian Armed Forces launched an overnight missile strike on facilities that manufactured and prepared drone boats near the Ukrainian city of Odessa, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Sunday.

"Last night, the Russian armed forces launched a group strike with long-range high-precision sea- and air-launched weapons on facilities where terrorist acts against the Russian Federation were being prepared using uncrewed boats, as well as on places where they were being manufactured in the vicinity of the city of Odessa. Foreign mercenaries were present at the affected facilities," the ministry said.

All targets chosen for the strike were destroyed, the ministry added.

Ukraine attempted to advance over the past day in the directions of Donetsk, Krasny Liman and Zaporozhye, the ministry said.

The Russian forces repulsed 14 Ukrainian offensive attempts in the direction of Donetsk, with Ukrainian losses totaling 370 troops, six armored combat vehicles and other weaponry. A total of six Ukrainian offensive attempts were repulsed in the direction of Krasny Liman, with Ukraine losing over 130 troops and 18 units of equipment. In the South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, Ukraine attempted to advance three times in the past day, losing over 160 people, seven Leopard tanks and 15 armored vehicles, including 10 Bradleys, the ministry added.

Ukraine also lost around 90 people in the Kupyansk and Kherson directions.

Russian jets also downed a Ukrainian Su-25 attack aircraft in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), while the air defense intercepted a HIMARS rocket, as well as a Storm Shadow cruise missile.

A total of 28 Ukrainian drones were shot down in the DPR, the Lugansk People’s Republic, the Kharkov region and the Zaporozhye region, the ministry added.

The Russian Defense Ministry also added that information which is being spread by Ukrainian and western media about the Transfiguration Cathedral in Odessa allegedly damaged by a Russian strike is not true.

"The information spread by the Kiev regime about striking the Transfiguration Cathedral in Odessa as a result of the use of precision weapons has nothing to do with reality. All the facilities designated for destruction and destroyed on the night of July 23 — where the Kiev regime, together with foreign specialists, were preparing terrorist acts against the Russian Federation — were located at a safe distance from the cathedral complex," the ministry said.

'Russia's plans to strike Ukrainian military and terrorist infrastructure draw on "thoroughly verified" and cross-checked information, "deliberately avoiding striking civilian facilities" as well as cultural and historical heritage site, the ministry said.

The damage to the cathedral was most likely caused by a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile that fell on it due to unprofessional actions of Ukrainian air defense operators, deliberately stationed in residential areas, the Russian military said.