Nonviolent Peaceforce Condemns Escalating Attacks on Odesa’s Civilians; Warns of Severe Humanitarian Toll
ODESA, Ukraine – 09 August 2026: Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) is expressing grave concern over a dramatic intensification of Russian strikes targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine's southern port city of Odesa, where 90 drones and 30 ballistic missiles rained down over a nine-hour period Saturday night into Sunday morning, causing widespread devastation to critical infrastructure and leaving thousands without access to essential services.
The assault has left civilian across Odesa without power following strikes on energy facilities across the city. The resulting blackout led to a collapse in water supply systems, as pumping and sewage infrastructure require electricity to function. Thousands of people are without power and clean drinking water, creating acute health risks particularly for children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
"We have not seen such intensity in airstrikes since 2023," said Anastasiya Marchuk, NP's Head of Mission in Ukraine. "The scale of this bombardment—120 bombs in nine hours raining on a single city—represents a harrowing new chapter in Russia's systematic assault on Ukrainian civilians, particularly with the significant increase in the use of ballistic missiles, which present distinctly devastating dangers to civilians. Behind these numbers are suffering families, hospitals unable to operate, and people facing not only immediate danger but also a deepening humanitarian catastrophe."
Ballistic missile strikes devastate civilian areas indiscriminately. Their speed, blast radius, and targeting inaccuracy mean civilians bear disproportionate harm. Strikes aimed at infrastructure in or near populated centres kill and injure residents at scale while also depriving them of access to services essential for survival. The cumulative effect of repeated attacks compounds trauma, displacement, and loss of life across entire regions.
Russian attacks on Odesa have killed and injured civilians in recent strikes. One attack on the night of August 9 injured at least 14 people, with 11 hospitalised and one in serious condition. Families’ homes are being destroyed. Survivors face ongoing threat as Russia continues to target populated civilian areas, leaving residents unable to access safe shelter or receive emergency medical care for the wounded.
Sustained bombardment of Ukraine's energy infrastructure since autumn 2022 has intensified civilian vulnerability to unprecedented levels. Power outages leave civilians—including children, the elderly, and those with medical conditions—without functioning water systems, refrigeration for medicines, or reliable access to hospitals and emergency services. Moreover, and while summer brings its own hardships, with high temperatures adding strain to already-damaged systems, Ukrainians will soon be bracing for winter. “If this pattern of attacks continues and intensifies, the cumulative impact will be catastrophic,” added Marchuk. “The character and scale of these bombardments place extraordinary pressure on critical infrastructure and essential services already crippled by years of sustained assault, and we’re seeing it worsen winter after winter. For civilians—particularly those in urban centres—the prospect of surviving another winter under such relentless attack represents a grave and urgent threat to human life.”
Nonviolent Peaceforce calls for an immediate end to attacks on civilians and critical infrastructures that support civilian lives. The deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure—energy facilities, water systems, and residential areas—constitute serious violations of the Geneva Conventions. Russia must cease these assaults on Ukraine's critical infrastructure and end its systematic targeting of civilians.
The international community must hold the Russian Federation accountable for violations of International Humanitarian Law and investigate potential war crimes. The protection of civilians must be the centrepiece of any diplomatic efforts, and all parties to this conflict must prioritise the safety and dignity of communities.
"Protecting people is our mandate," Marchuk said. "NP works in solidarity with the people of Ukraine facing this relentless assault. We call on the global community to witness what is happening here, to demand accountability, and to support those working to protect civilian life in the face of extraordinary violence."
Про ненасильницьку силу миру
Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) — це міжнародна агенція захисту. Наша місія полягає в тому, щоб захищати цивільних осіб у жорстоких конфліктах за допомогою незбройних стратегій, будувати мир пліч-о-пліч з місцевими громадами та виступати за ширше застосування цих підходів для захисту людських життів і гідності. Програмування обов’язків догляду NP спрямоване на зменшення фізичних ризиків, яким піддаються волонтери, а також на підтримку психологічної стійкості волонтерських мереж і громад, яким вони служать.
Щодо запитів ЗМІ, будь ласка, звертайтеся до Махмуда Шабіба, глобального медіа-радника NP, за адресою [email protected].