The occupants are altering their tactics — a correspondent's account of the night assault of the «Shaheds» on Odesa

On the night of March 5, the occupiers launched an attack on the Odesa region using 22 «Shaheds,» and the assault persisted for over 2 hours. Yulia Afanasyeva, a correspondent in Odesa, shared her observations on Hromadske Radio:

«The attack endured for more than 2 hours. Notably, the alarm, which usually precedes a Shahed attack, spanned over 3 hours. Unusually, the initial explosions were heard mere minutes after the alarm sounded. This indicates a potential shift in the occupiers’ tactics, as typically, residents have advance notice to seek shelter. It appears they are altering their strategies«.

Afanasyeva highlighted a change in tactics during the attack itself, as the «Shaheds» maneuvered over the city, making it challenging to intercept them. Despite hits being recorded, information on casualties is not yet available. In the Odesa district, a recreational facility sustained damage, resulting in a fire that was swiftly extinguished. The recreational facility had been closed since the onset of the full-scale invasion. Additionally, a private house with outbuildings was also affected.

The correspondent emphasized that the maneuvering tactics over residential and industrial areas of Odesa and its suburbs pose a significant threat to the residents. She noted that this recent event marked the most substantial attack on Odesa in terms of both the number and intensity of the «Shaheds» over the past few months.

As a reminder, on the same night, Russian aggressors attacked Ukraine with 22 Shahed-type attack drones, with Ukrainian air defense forces successfully neutralizing 18 of them over the Odesa region.