Kyiv: At least three people were killed and 13 others were injured when Russian missiles fired overnight into buildings occupied by civilians in the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odesa.

Russia attacked the city with four cruise missiles, according to the South Command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Two missiles were reportedly destroyed by the military before they could reach their targets.

The South command posted on the messaging app Telegram that "a business centre, an educational institution, a residential complex, food establishments, and shops in the city centre were damaged as a result of air combat and blast waves."

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The military added that the three people killed were at a retail chain's warehouse when a missile struck and started a fire there. There were seven injuries.

The military stated that they were still sorting through the trash. There might be people below.

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A video and images were posted online by Serhiy Bratchuk, a spokesman for the Odesa military administration, showing multiple-story buildings with windows blown out and walls missing, as well as firefighters battling flames in what appeared to be a warehouse.

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The reports could not be independently confirmed by Reuters. No immediate response was received from Russia. Both Russia and Ukraine deny that their military operations target civilians.