Drone strike hits apartment block in Odesa, mother pulls son from rubble

Overnight on September 3, a Russian drone struck a multi-storey residential building in Odesa, causing severe damage and injuring 17 people, including three children. The blast completely destroyed the apartment that was hit, though its owner, Marina, was home at the time along with her son. The boy had been ill, so the family had stayed home that evening instead of heading to a shelter as they usually do when the air raid siren sounds.

A mother saves her child from the debris

Marina recalls that their dog started barking at the moment of the explosion, waking the family. The blast left the boy covered by the remains of a blanket, while Marina cut her bare feet on broken glass. The child took shelter under a shelf, escaping with only a small cut above his eyebrow. She recalls him crying out to ask if they were dead, to which she replied that everything was fine. To get out of the flat, where there was no air left to breathe, Marina had to force open an armored door that had been deformed by the blast — she says she cannot explain how she managed it alone.

Damage to the building and surrounding area

Apartments from the 10th to the 17th floor were damaged, and most residents of the building lost their windows. Utility workers, together with residents, are covering broken windows with plywood and plastic sheeting, while building management is bringing in experts to assess further steps. Cars parked near the building were also damaged — one had a piece of shrapnel lodged inside it, while others had shattered windows or damaged engines.

Most injuries were caused by flying glass, and the majority of the injured received medical help at the scene. One patient remains hospitalized in serious condition with a head injury. Emergency crews continue working under difficult conditions, as air raid sirens have sounded repeatedly across Odesa since early morning. Despite the extensive damage, the strike did not claim any lives.