Russian Missile Strike on Odesa Injures Three, Ukraine Says 

Local residents stand at a site of a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine June 24, 2024. (Reuters)
Local residents stand at a site of a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine June 24, 2024. (Reuters)
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Russian Missile Strike on Odesa Injures Three, Ukraine Says 

Local residents stand at a site of a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine June 24, 2024. (Reuters)
Local residents stand at a site of a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine June 24, 2024. (Reuters)

A Russian missile attack on the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa struck civilian infrastructure and injured at least three people, including a 19-year-old boy, on Monday morning, regional governor Oleh Kiper said.

The attack damaged a storage facility where some 50 people were working, military and regional authorities said. A massive cloud of smoke rose from the site where firefighters battled a fire, pictures published by the interior ministry showed.

The air force said it had prevented one of two cruise missiles launched by Russia from reaching the target.

Kiper said on national television that around 5,000 square meters had been damaged in the attack and that a fire had spread over 3,000 square meters.

Two middle-aged men in addition to the 19-year-old boy were taken to hospital, Kiper said on the Telegram messaging app.

The air force had warned the city's residents of the threat of incoming missiles before the explosions sounded.

Odesa has been a frequent target of Russian forces in the 28-month-long full-scale invasion, with many attacks aimed at the city's port facilities. Russia denies targeting civilians or civilian infrastructure.



South Korea, China Evacuate Citizens from Lebanon as Tensions Rise

 South Korean nationals and their family members arrive after being evacuated from Lebanon with a South Korea's military aircraft at the Seoul airport in Seongnam, South Korea, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (Yonhap via AP)
South Korean nationals and their family members arrive after being evacuated from Lebanon with a South Korea's military aircraft at the Seoul airport in Seongnam, South Korea, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (Yonhap via AP)
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South Korea, China Evacuate Citizens from Lebanon as Tensions Rise

 South Korean nationals and their family members arrive after being evacuated from Lebanon with a South Korea's military aircraft at the Seoul airport in Seongnam, South Korea, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (Yonhap via AP)
South Korean nationals and their family members arrive after being evacuated from Lebanon with a South Korea's military aircraft at the Seoul airport in Seongnam, South Korea, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (Yonhap via AP)

A South Korean military transport aircraft returned 97 citizens and family members from Lebanon on Saturday as Middle East tensions rise, the foreign ministry said.

A KC-330 aircraft left Beirut on Friday afternoon with the evacuees, who include Lebanese family members, and arrived at a military airfield on the south of Seoul, the ministry said.

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday ordered military aircraft to be deployed to evacuate South Korean citizens from parts of the Middle East as conflict escalates between Israel and Hezbollah, as well as the armed group's backer, Iran.

South Korea's defense ministry said it flew a C130J transport plane as backup, which is capable of operating on shorter runways and under fire, as a precaution, and sent 39 military personnel, including mechanics and diplomats.

The government will take further actions to ensure the safety of its citizens, the foreign ministry said without elaborating.

South Korean diplomats stationed in Lebanon remained in the country, Yonhap news agency reported.

More than 200 Chinese citizens have been safely evacuated from Lebanon, China's foreign ministry said on Saturday.

"These people, who have been evacuated in two batches, include three Hong Kong residents and one Taiwan compatriot," the ministry said in a statement in response to a Reuters query on the situation.

"The Chinese Embassy in Lebanon remains firm in Lebanon and continues to assist Chinese citizens remaining there in taking security measures," it added.

On Wednesday, China's official Xinhua news agency said more than 200 Chinese citizens had been safely evacuated from Lebanon by the government.

Taiwan's foreign ministry said three Taiwanese in Lebanon were expected to return to the island this month and that two others had opted to stay for family reasons.

The ministry added that another Taiwanese decided late last month to take a boat out of the country arranged by China, and that the de facto Taiwan embassy in Jordan was aware of that process. It did not elaborate.