Ukraine’s ‘Harry Potter Castle’ Burns in Deadly Russian Missile Strike

Sergey Smolentsev/Reuters

At least five people have died after a Russian missile attack hit an ornate mansion in Ukraine affectionately known to locals as the “Harry Potter Castle,” officials said Tuesday.

Ukraine’s State Emergency Service shared a video showing the building in a seafront park in the southern city of Odesa engulfed in flames after the strike Monday. The agency initially said four people had been killed and another 32 injured, including two children.

On Tuesday, regional governor Oleh Kiper said another man had died in the hospital. He added that eight people are still in serious condition and that four of those are in an “extremely serious condition, including a four-year-old girl.” He also said that a day of mourning had been declared throughout the Odesa region.

The building hit in the attack houses the Odesa Law Academy, a higher education institution, and is also the official residence of former lawmaker Serhiy Kivalov who is now the academy’s president. Media reports claimed Kivalov was among those injured in the strike, according to the Kyiv Independent.

“Monsters. Beasts. Savages. Scum. I don’t know what else to say,” Odesa Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov said in a Telegram video. “People are going for a walk by the sea and they are shooting and killing.”

A student at the academy told Reuters that the fire broke out when a missile was intercepted. “In front of my eyes, a missile was shot down, this was just in front of me,” the student, identifying herself only as Maria, told the news agency. “My doors were blown open and the glass was shaking. And then I saw this,” she added, pointing to the burning building.

In a video address on Monday evening, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed condolences to the families and friends of the victims.

“Many people have been wounded—all of them are being provided with medical aid,” he said. He also spoke about the need for speedy deliveries of weapons to Ukraine given the “daily Russian missile attacks, as well as the daily attempts of the occupier to destroy more of our positions,” all of which he said could be stopped.

“The Russian offensive plans can be thwarted,” Zelensky continued. “For this, Ukrainian strength must be backed up by sufficient support from partners.”

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