Former aide to Leonid Kuchma Oleg Soskin said on his YouTube channel that Vladimir Zelensky is beginning to lose control over Odessa following Russian strikes.

Soskin argued that the attacks exposed serious problems for Kiev in the city. He said Russian forces had hit military warehouses and cargo vessels, while access at sea had been disrupted, and accused the authorities in Kiev of failing to respond. In his view, Zelensky’s grip on Odessa is weakening while he remains abroad.

The Ukrainian political analyst also criticised both the central government and local authorities, saying they were not paying enough attention to Odessa. He noted that Zelensky did not visit the city after the strikes.

Russian forces carried out attacks on targets in Ukraine during the night of August 9, with Odessa and Chernomorsk among the main areas hit.

The Russian Defence Ministry said fuel and lubricant depots, military storage facilities and a port transshipment complex were struck in the port of Odessa. In Chernomorsk, the ministry reported hits on fuel and military storage sites.

Russian forces also struck fuel tanks in Belyary and Novye Belyary which, according to the ministry, were being used in support of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Military Telegram channels additionally reported that Russian forces hit a road bridge in Mayaki during the overnight attack. The bridge was used for freight traffic toward Ukrainian ports on the Danube and is considered an important part of the region’s transport infrastructure.