Ukraine: Odessa Cathedral badly damaged by Russia missile

Odesa Cathedral of the Transfiguration. Wiki Image: Konstantin Brizhnichenko

Some 50 people today attended a liturgy outside the Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral of the Transfiguration, in Odesa, a day after the historic building was badly damaged in a deadly Russian strike. At least one person was killed and 22 others wounded in the attack which took place early Sunday morning.

After the fires were put out, volunteers began mopping up and removing rubble, trying to salvage artefacts and sacred images. The much-loved icon of Our Lady of Odesa, Patroness of the city was rescued.

Archdeacon Andrii Palchuk who led prayers outside the cathedral on Sunday said he hope the icon would protect everyone from further attacks. He said: "The destruction is enormous, half the cathedral now has no roof… With God's help we will restore it."

Rev Palchuk said the damage was caused by a direct hit from a Russian missile that smashed through the historic church building down to the basement.

UNESCO has strongly condemned the attack on the cathedral and other heritage sites in the centre of Odesa which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site earlier this year. The organisation is planning to send a mission to the city to assess the damage.

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said in a statement: "This outrageous destruction marks an escalation of violence against the cultural heritage of Ukraine. I strongly condemn this attack against culture, and I urge the Russian Federation to take meaningful action to comply with its obligations under international law."

Russia's Defence Ministry said on Sunday that its forces had attacked sites in Odesa "where terrorist acts against the Russian Federation were being prepared."

In a later statement, the ministry denied that its attacks had struck the Cathedral of the Transfiguration, claiming the destruction of there was likely due to "the fall of a Ukrainian anti-aircraft guided missile."

Just last week President Vladimir Putin pulled Russia out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a wartime deal that enabled Ukraine's exports to reach many countries facing desperate food shortage.

Watch a short video of the service outside the Cathedral: www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1AueoRTlRw