Moscow claims attack that hit Odesa cathedral targeted sites where Ukraine was making 'unmanned boats' to be used against Russia

The Kiev Independent via Yahoo ^ | July 23rd, 2023 | Daria Shulzhenko

[Mariner]

Russian Defense Ministry claimed that in the latest missile attack on Odesa, one of the most damaging ones since the start of the full-scale war, its troops targeted "facilities where terrorist acts against Russia were being prepared," Russian media reported on July 23.

The ministry claimed the attack hit the sites where "unmanned surface vehicles were being manufactured" to be used against Russia, and that "foreign mercenaries were on the affected sites," as quoted by the media.

Russia attacked Odesa Oblast with 19 missiles overnight on July 23, killing one person and injuring 19, including four children. Ukraine downed nine of the missiles, the Air Force said. It didn't specify where the other missiles hit.

According to Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper, the attack destroyed or damaged six residential buildings, two architectural landmarks, and dozens of cars.

The attack badly damaged Odesa's main cathedral, which was originally founded in 1794 and rebuilt in late 1990s.

The historic cathedral, however, belongs to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate – a branch of the Russian Orthodox Church that has been supporting the invasion of Ukraine.

Russian imperialism claims Odesa as a Russian city. Current Russian state propaganda includes claims that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin "loves Odesa" and that Kremlin has "special plans for the city."

[Mariner]

All reporting says the exterior of the church is undamaged.

Would Russia intentionally target a church that was originally built by Catherine the Great?

Would Ukraine build weapons systems in Civilian areas?

[OKSooner]

“Ukraine says via Yahoo that Moscow claims attack that hit Odesa cathedral targeted sites where Ukraine was making ‘unmanned boats’ to be used against Russia”.

[BobL]

“Would Russia intentionally target a church that was originally built by Catherine the Great? “

The ‘rationale’ by the Leftists is that the church wouldn’t have been hit if there were no war. They have no opinion on the that Ukraine often locates their military facilities in or near civilian areas (a war crime, by the way).

[davidb56]

would Ukraine intentionally target their own church as a false flag to stir up religious people? Or did Russia just miss their target.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Or did Russia just miss their target.

Seems likely this is one more instance that a Ukrainian fired missile hit a russian missile and it was knocked off course.

Time will tell.

[popdonnelly]

That will come as a surprise to those who said the Cathedral was hit by a Ukrainian ABM.

[popdonnelly]

Every time Russia does something, Ukraine gets blamed. Bias, maybe?

[popdonnelly]

So you have to be a leftist to be against the Russians, and if you’re on the right, you must support Putin?

[BobL]

“So you have to be a leftist to be against the Russians”

I don’t know a SINGLE elected Democrat who’s not against the Russians. Do you know of any?

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Every time Russia does something, Ukraine gets blamed. Bias, maybe?

I'm not sure that is true, but Ukraine has a history in this conflict of lying about the missiles they shoot down and where they land. So there's that.

[NorseViking]

The damage on the interior indicates misfired SAM.

[McGruff]

The headline makes it sound like “hit Odesa cathedral...where Ukraine was making ‘unmanned boats’”

[silverleaf]

Nope.
But they did evidently take out a lot of weapon storage.
Putin said it was the most destructive event of the war in terms of weapons destroyed.

“A record amount of foreign equipment was destroyed in the past 24 hours during a special operation,” said President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.( meeting with Lukashenko)

Photos of the damaged church show it was hit from the rear and shows shrapnel damage consistent with a SAM, prob a Uke ADA missile failed intercept and fell on the neighborhood. Not that the nationalists would
mind taking out a Russian orthodox church.

Crimean blogger with Uke sources has shared info anc showed imagery the Ukes set up ADA in civilian areas…prob store weapons there, too,

Despite this the heavy Russian attacks have been precisely
targeted, as indicated by the very low civilian casualty count.

[silverleaf]

Intentional misdirection of reader focus

[bobbo666]

Ukraine is no better than Palestinians. They regularly fight from religious centers.

[freeandfreezing]

Would Russia intentionally target a church that was originally built by Catherine the Great?

The answer is yes. The Russians destroyed the church once already, and then it was rebuilt by the Ukrainians once they regained their freedom.

[freeandfreezing]

"The original structure was demolished by the Soviets in 1936"

The Russians have no problem with destroying churches, they have been doing it for a long time.

Look at the map there are no buildings near the church that are the kind of building where somebody would be building boats.

[freeandfreezing]

Seems likely this is one more instance that a Ukrainian fired missile hit a russian missile and it was knocked off course.

That's not how high speed collision physics works. AA missiles detonate in proximity to their target, and while pieces of the target may rain down the incoming missile isn't just "knocked off course".

[Chad C. Mulligan]

All reporting says the exterior of the church is undamaged.

WTF? Clear and convincing photos all over the news.

[freeandfreezing]

The ‘rationale’ by the Leftists is that the church wouldn’t have been hit if there were no war.

Wouldn't that be just a fact? How would the church get hit with an incoming missile if nobody was firing missiles?