Drone Strike Hits Nova Poshta Depot Near Odesa, Injuring 4

Russian forces launched a drone strike against the outskirts of Odesa on Sunday, Aug. 16, hitting a Nova Poshta logistics facility and injuring four people. Odesa Regional Military Administration Head Oleh Kiper reported on Telegram that the strike targeted a postal facility located within a shopping center.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The operational-tactical group “Odesa” confirmed to journalists that the drone hit caused a fire at a Nova Poshta warehouse situated inside an Epicentr shopping center located at the “7th kilometer” market area outside the city. Kiper stated that a 42-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man sustained shrapnel wounds in the attack and were hospitalized. He noted that the facility was targeted by a “jet-powered drone.” Later Kiper reported that the number of injured had risen to four. Three of them have been hospitalized. Among the injured are a 42-year-old woman and three men aged 32 to 43. Strikes on Kryvyi Rih and Kyiv The incident in Odesa occurred on the same day as attacks on civilian and industrial infrastructure in other regions. In Kryvyi Rih, a missile strike on the ArcelorMittal mining and metallurgical plant killed two people and injured 13 workers and contractors. The facility’s press service reported that the attack damaged primary production facilities related to energy and blast furnace operations, leading to a partial suspension of production processes. The plant previously sustained a Russian missile strike in 2022, which killed one worker. Other Topics of Interest Lithuania Does Not Rule Out ‘False Flag’ in Latvia Drone Incident Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius stated that a drone shot down over Latvia may have been part of a Russian “false flag” operation. In Kyiv, Russian strikes caused a large-scale fire at the historic Petrivka book market near the Pochaina metro station in the Obolonskyi district. The fire completely burned down several rows of retail pavilions, destroying inventory. The strikes caused fires and structural damage in the capital’s Holosiivskyi district. The strikes are part of a broader wave of attacks across Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Aug. 16 that Russian forces launched over 1,550 attack drones, nearly 1,560 aerial bombs, and 62 missiles – primarily ballistic – at Ukraine over the previous week. Zelensky highlighted that the attacks targeted 13 regions, noting that strikes also hit Kremenchuk with ballistic missiles. He reported that the strikes on Kryvyi Rih resulted in two deaths and 14 injuries citywide, while one person was killed in Sumy and six people were injured in Kyiv and the surrounding region. The president used the update to reiterate calls for international partners to supply Ukraine with air defense systems and interceptors. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.