Dad's tribute after wife, baby and mum are 'killed by Russian missile'

A devastated dad is mourning the death of his family after they were reportedly killed by a Russian missile strike in Ukraine's southern port city of Odesa.

Yury Glodan has shared a heartbreaking tribute to his wife Valerie, 28, and their three-month-old baby Kira after they, and at least three others, died in the attack last Saturday — the day before Easter.

"My dear ones, the kingdom of heaven! You are in our hearts," he wrote online alongside pictures of his family.

Ukraine's Presidential Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak said at least 18 people were injured as a result of Russian forces firing "at least six cruise missiles at the city".

It's believed Mr Glodan's mum, Liudmyla, 55, was also killed in the attack, according to Anton Gerashchenko who is the Adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.

"A young man lost his mother, wife and baby daughter on Easter Eve," Mr Gerashchenko wrote on Twitter.

He also posted a photo of an apartment building destroyed in the attack. It's expected more bodies will be found in the rubble.

"Odesa rescuers look for injured in the rubble despite danger of more bombings," he said.

Mr Gerashchenko said the Mr Glodan's "grief is unmeasurable" and offered his condolences.

Residential buildings targeted in Odesa attack

Mr Gerashchenko said in a Telegram post on Saturday that Ukrainian forces were able to shoot down several missiles but at least one landed and exploded.

"Residents of the city heard explosions in different areas," he wrote. "Residential buildings were hit."

Ukrainian air defence officials said they shot down two Russian missiles and two reconnaissance drones, adding that the missiles had been launched by a long-range Tu-95 bomber over the Caspian Sea.

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Russia claims to have also hit and destroyed a logistics terminal in Odesa where a large number of weapons supplied by the United States and European nations were being stored, the defence ministry said.

In an online post, it also said Russian forces had last Saturday killed up to 200 Ukrainian troops and destroyed more than 30 vehicles, some of them armoured.

Children starving in shelter: 'I want to get out'

In Mariupol, women and children remain sheltered underground at the Azovstal steel plant as Russia continues its attack on the area.

According to Ukrainian officials, some 1,000 civilians are trapped at Azovstal together with the Ukrainian troops, the Evening Standard reports.

Mr Gerashchenko claims children are starving after months of being underground.

"Ukrainian soldiers defending them give their food to the children. They have been under bombings for months. They just want to live. They want to go out and have a normal life," he tweeted.

A video he shared shows the heartbreaking conditions civilians, mostly women and children, have had to face.

One little girl said she hasn't seen the sky or sun in months after leaving their home on February 27 — days after Russia first invaded Ukraine.

"I really want to get out of here," she says, according to the translation — and she isn't alone in her sentiments.

Another woman holding her young daughter says she "really wants to go home", but says she "no longer has a home".

The woman hopes a corridor will open soon to enable their safe escape.

"The food is already running out," she said.

With AAP and Reuters

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