MOSCOW, November 18. /TASS/. Ukraine has admitted that its air defenses shot down a missile over Odessa, causing falling debris to injure civilians and police.

The Ukrainian air force claims on its Telegram channel that an Iskander-M ballistic missile was aimed toward Odessa and "was shot down by air defenses," causing debris to fall on residential buildings.

Ukrainian blogger Anatoly Shary commented on the statement by saying that Ukraine’s air force officials only agreed to recognize this because "the media started posting photos of Patriot wreckage. They would never recognize it otherwise."

According to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, police officers were injured as a result of falling debris.

Earlier, Vladimir Zelensky reported damage within Odessa's city limits on his Telegram channel, following reports from Ukrainian media about an explosion in the city.

The Russian authorities and military have repeatedly emphasized that the Russian Armed Forces do not target civilian facilities in Ukraine, asserting that all strikes are directed at destroying military infrastructure. According to Russia’s statements, the Ukrainian side frequently deploys air defense systems, military equipment, and personnel at civilian infrastructure sites in populated areas.