Children among injured after Russian drone strikes residential building in Odesa

At least five people, including two children, were injured after a Russian drone struck a nine-story residential building in Odesa overnight, Ukrainian officials reported on Thursday. The attack sparked a major fire and led to the evacuation of 50 people from the heavily damaged structure.
According to Ukraine's State Emergency Service (SES), the drone hit the upper floors of the building, causing a blaze to erupt that engulfed floors seven through nine. Six apartments were reported to be completely destroyed, with another 36 partially damaged.
Oleh Kiper, the head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, confirmed that a seven-year-old boy and a nine-year-old girl were among the injured. He stated that the children were hospitalized after suffering from smoke inhalation.
Rescue operations continued through the early morning, with emergency crews using special equipment to save ten people who were trapped in the burning building. Odesa's mayor, Hennadii Trukhanov, described the damage to one of the building's main entrances as significant, warning that it was unsafe to remain inside. The attack was part of a broader wave of drone strikes launched by Russia across several Ukrainian regions on the night of July 2-3.