Russian warships opened fire on population centres in Odessa, 2 wounded

Denis Karlovskii - Tuesday, 15th of March

Using satellite photos military experts have identified the approach of three groups of Russian Federation warships in the direction of Odessa, while on in the evening on the 15th of March the Ukrainian government confirmed that an attack had indeed happened, resulting in 2 wounded. 

Sources: Independent military analysts Naval News, the head of Odesa's regional military administration Maxim Marchenko, French philosopher Bernar-Arni Levi who is currently in Odessa.

Details: Military analysts spotted the movement of 14 Russian battleships, by comparing satellite photos taken at approximately 11:47 today.  The ships were moving in two groups in a northern direction, with an additional group of landing ships between them.

The nordenmost group consisted of a trawler vessel, two large landing ships type 775, one more trawler , followed by an additional landing craft. 

In the middle "Group 2" was moving in a square formation. This group appeared to most likely consist of missile corvettes. 

In the southernmost "Group 3"  the frigate "Moscow" as identified, escorted by two  1171 "Tapir" Type large landing ships. Additionally in this group the experts identified the "Piotr Morgunov"  - a large landing ship from the Southern Fleet of the Russian Navy, which is usually assigned to the "Severnomorks" post near Murmansk.

Around 19:20 Odesas head of military administration Maxim Marchenko informed that in the morning on the 15th of March, a combined bombardment from both aviation and navy had resulted in 2 injuries among the local population. 

For almost 14 hours the Russian armed forces were using the ships artillery to fire upon the local population. Marchenko informed that the Russians had fired almost 90 rounds. 

According to a statement by Levi, around 19:30 the Russian ships opened fire on the village of Mirne near the border with Moldova. 

Previous developments:

• On the 13th of March the secretary of National Security and Defence Oleksii Danilov stated that according to Ukrainian intelligence, Russia is preparing for a naval assault on Odessa and the region.
  
  
•  The head of the local military administration Maxim Marchenko warned, that if such an assault is attempted the Russian Forces will end at the bottom of the Black Sea.
  
  
• On the 11th of March the mayor of Odessa Ghenadiy Trahunov stated that the Russian occupiers would first trie to cut off the city by land and only after that attempt an assault by sea.