KIEV: Ukrainian authorities say Russia fired three missiles towards the strategic port city of Odessa, injuring several people.  According to Ukrayinska Pravda, the missiles were launched on Friday from Russia-annexed Crimea, according to Maksym Marchenko, Head of Odessa Regional Military Administration, in a social media post.

Marchenko stated the Russians "would regret every firing of missiles and every attack on our soil" without providing any other details, such as the number of victims. The Ukrainian military's Operational Command South said air defences had thwarted strikes on "essential infrastructure that could imperil the civilian population."

Meanwhile, in another development,  Deputy Head of the President's Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko said on social media that a total of 6,266 persons were evacuated on Friday, including 3,071 from Mariupol in the Donetsk area, where Russian forces have continued to bomb and strike. Zaporizhzhya and Luhansk regions were also evacuated, according to Tymoshenko.

Kiev: Over 6000 Ukrainians evacuated in 24-hrs

First Ukrainian air strikes on Russian terrain on a Russian oil station

Ukraine and Russia set to resume peace negotiations on Friday