20 July 2026

The death toll from the Russian strike on a ship near Odesa has doubled

(PHOTO: Odesa Regional State Administration)

The Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority reported that the death toll from the Russian missile strike on a vessel off the coast of Odesa has reached 10 people.

According to the USPA, among the dead was a pilot employed by the company who was working on a foreign vessel. 

"Yesterday, near Odesa, the enemy struck a merchant vessel flying the flag of Guinea-Bissau, which was leaving a Ukrainian port after loading corn. There were 17 crew members on board—citizens of Syria and India, as well as a pilot from the ‘Delta-Pilot’ branch of the State Enterprise ‘AMPU,’ the AMPU stated. 

The search and rescue operation lasted all night. The fire on the vessel was brought under control. On the night of July 20 (beginning at 6:00 p.m. on July 19), the enemy attacked Ukraine with two X-59/69 air-to-ground guided missiles launched from the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and 94 Shahed-type strike unmanned aerial vehicles (including jet-powered ones), Gerbera, Italmas, “Banderole” loitering munitions, and “Parody”-type decoy drones. According to preliminary data, as of 8:00 a.m., air defense forces had neutralized 81 enemy drones of the Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas, and other types in the north, south, and east of the country. One missile and nine attack drones were confirmed to have struck nine locations. Additionally, one missile failed to reach its target.

The day before, oneof theenemy missiles struckan amusement park. The strike destroyed fishermen’s homes and damaged six passenger cars. The death of a 16-year-old boy has been confirmed. Twelve other people were injured, including a 2-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl. 

Ten of the injured remain in the hospital; doctors assess the condition of four of them as serious. The child was diagnosed with an acute stress reaction—she received the necessary care and is now continuing treatment on an outpatient basis.

Кирило Бойко

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