Select a region
The wife of a Guernseyman living in the Ukrainian city of Odessa was less than a third of a mile from Russian missile strikes on the city's port at the weekend.
Colin Wood's wife, Olga, was unharmed in the attacks, which he said injured a number of people and caused significant fires.
"At the time, Olga was less than 500 metres from the port and the explosions were very loud and rattled windows and set off car alarms and people ran for cover," Mr Wood told Express.
"Luckily, Olga replied to my message immediately to say she was OK."
Military officials in the region reported further missile strikes in coastal villages in Odessa in the early hours of this morning, Tuesday.
It’s really preposterous when ???????? tells ???????? that it had nothing to do with the missile attack against the Odessa port. Kalibr cruise missiles are sophisticated weapons launched from ships and submarines of the ???????? navy and from nowhere else. pic.twitter.com/cTzzeWobb8
— Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) July 23, 2022
Watch: Carl Bildt, Co-chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations, tweeted this short video and message after the weekend strikes on Odessa.
Mr Wood said that Odessa, a strategically important city on the Black Sea in the south of Ukraine, "is under constant attack".
"We have explosions every day and at least six air raid sirens every day," he said.
Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky, and other leaders around the world condemned the cruise missile attacks at the weekend, which hit Odessa barely 12 hours after Russia signed a deal to unblock grain exports from the city and other Black Sea ports and ease global food shortages caused by the war.
Accusing Russia of "barbarism" while at a meeting with US lawmakers, President Zelensky said: "This proves only one thing: no matter what Russia says and promises, it will find ways not to implement it."
The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said: "Russia bears responsibility for deepening the global food crisis and must stop its aggression."
Pictured: Colin Wood has lived in Odessa since last year.
Living amid the fear and uncertainty of war for the past five months has put huge personal pressure on Mr and Mrs Wood.
At the outbreak of war, they were preparing to start work on what he described as "a total refurbishment" of a new house in the west of the city. In recent weeks, Mr Wood has been staying at the house while Mrs Wood has been living with her mum on the other side of the city.
"A couple of weeks ago, the sewage system in my house collapsed. It is not pleasant, but I do not have the money to pay for it to be repaired," said Mr Wood.
"I am working with neighbours to try and make a temporary fix, but materials are expensive. With no money, I can't buy what is needed.
"There is no work to be found anywhere."
Pictured: It is thought that at least 12 million people have been forced to flee their homes since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine at the end of February. In addition to the humanitarian crisis, it is estimated that the conflict has caused damage worth hundreds of billions of pounds to Ukraine's infrastructure.
Mr Wood thanked people from Guernsey and the UK who are providing practical assistance or raising funds to support Ukrainians.
"In respect of the charities in Guernsey, Ben Remfrey, who is a friend of mine, is very busy training Ukrainian nationals in bomb disposal and his name and his charity are well known in Ukraine," said Mr Wood. "Natalie Fielding, who runs a charity supporting Ukraine, is also a friend of mine.
"Everyone I speak to is very pleased with the support that the UK is providing and I have had my hand shaken many times by people saying thank you to the UK public and to Boris Johnson.
"They don't understand why he has been forced to resign when he is such a great man. Trying to explain the story is wasted breath. They think he is a wonderful man. In respect of Ukraine, I fully understand why they feel this, and I do not argue with them."
Pictured: Colin Wood said that the UK's outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson remains hugely popular among Ukrainians for his outspoken support of their resistance.
Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, said on Sunday that the strategic objective of his country's military offensive was now to remove Ukraine's President and his government.
He said that Moscow was determined to help Ukrainians "liberate themselves from the burden of this absolutely unacceptable regime" led by Mr Zelensky.
Mr Wood said that the public mood in and around Odessa has been buoyed by recent news of further Russian retreats elsewhere in Ukraine and by the support of its western allies.
"I was told [on Sunday morning] that the Ukrainian forces overnight took the remaining occupied parts of the southern city of Kherson, which has been a big talking point amongst the people living around me," said Mr Wood.
"The news from large parts of Ukraine is encouraging, notwithstanding the daily deaths from indiscriminate missile attacks.
"Every day, my heart aches from the photos posted by people showing dead children in a number of cities. Of course, we have lost children in Odessa too, along with many adults.
"The weapons being sent by the West are slowly turning the tide of the war. They just need to be delivered more quickly. They make a huge difference."
Guernseyman in Odessa: "We are hit by missiles every day and night"
Homes for Ukraine sponsorship scheme approved by States
Missiles hit apartments 600m from Guernseyman's home in Odessa
"We pray it will end soon and the rebuilding can commence"
Guernseyman says Odessa fears war but is anxious about peace talks
Ports closed to Russian owners
States pledge half a million to "support the people of Ukraine"
States confirm Ukraine visa changes
States' member born in Russia is "devastated" by conflict with Ukraine
Olga says Guernsey's support gives her "the power to carry on"
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.