A Russian missile strike targeted the “Loving Hearts” animal shelter in Velykodolynske, Odesa region, late last night. The attack resulted in the deaths of three dogs and ten cats, while the condition of other animals remains uncertain.
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The shelter's owner reportedly managed to release some animals from their enclosures during the strike, but it is unclear how many survived. In addition to the lost lives, the strike inflicted significant damage on the shelter’s property and supplies, destroying its entire stock of animal food, equipment, and medicines.
This assault was part of a larger pattern of violence in the Odesa region, which left a total of eight people injured, according to the State Emergency Service. The attacks also caused damage to residential buildings and ignited fires in multiple locations, prompting emergency response teams to extinguish the blazes.
Additional civilian facilities were affected, including a production facility, warehouses, a gymnasium, and a dormitory, as well as various passenger and freight vehicles. This incident follows a similar attack on June 15, when Russian forces targeted the Kharkiv city zoo, resulting in damaged enclosures and injuries to several animals, as reported by Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov.