Ukrainian tennis player Dayana Yastremska has reported that her family's apartment was destroyed in a Russian missile and drone attack on the Black Sea port city of Odesa, with only a Roland Garros towel surviving from the wreckage. At least 37 people were injured, including a baby, and two remain missing, according to regional officials.
Ukrainian tennis player Dayana Yastremska has said her family's flat has been destroyed in a Russian aerial strike on the Black Sea port of Odesa.
"This is what the 'Russian world' looks like. A direct hit by a Kalibr cruise missile," she wrote on social media, showing a photo of a burning multi-storey residential building.
"The only thing that survived was a Roland Garros... towel," the 26-year-old added, posting an image of a famous clay orange towel from Paris's Grand Slam tournament hanging from the wreckage.
Odesa regional head Oleh Kiper said 37 people were injured, including a baby, and two missing in the missile and drone attack on Odesa and nearby Chornomorsk on Friday night.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The attack highlights the ongoing targeting of civilian infrastructure in Ukraine's port city Odesa, which has faced repeated strikes since Russia's full-scvasion began.
- Yastremska's personal loss—symbolized by the lone surviving tennis towel from Roland Garros, one of tennis's greatest stages—underlines the war's reach into everyday life for Ukrainian athletes and citizens.
- The incident may raise concerns about safety in Odesa, a key Black Sea port and UNESCO heritage city, affecting local residents, businesses and humanitarian operations.
Yastremska is a Ukrainian tennis player who has been active on the professional tour since her teens. The Roland Garros towel—a signature orange towel from the French Open in Paris—surviving the destruction of a missile strike has become a poignant symbol of the war's brutality. The family had lived in the apartment.
Key Perspectives
Ukraine sports community: This attack emboldens Ukrainian athletes to speak out against the ongoing invasion and destruction of civilian property, of their livelihoods and families.
Ukrainian government officials: This attack underscores Russia's campaign of targeting civilian infrastructure, with reports as a call for continued international support for Ukraine's air defense and resilience.
International and human rights groups: Such striking of residential areas in a populated urban center constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law and must be investigated as a potential war crime. Russia's actions are condemned by many governments and the UN.
What to Watch
- Any statements from local, Ukrainian or international leaders about the conduct of war in urban centers and adherence to international law
- The search for two missing people reported in Odesa and the number of casualties may rise
- If this attack will fuel renewed calls for weapons or sanctions against Russia responsible for strikes on residences