In a devastating strike on the port city of Odessa, Ukraine, at least five people have been killed and over 30 injured in a Russian missile attack. Among the casualties were two children and a pregnant woman. The assault also saw the destruction of an educational institution famously known as the 'Harry Potter Castle'.

The attack, captured in harrowing video footage released by Ukraine's prosecutor general's office, depicted a barrage of Russian missiles raining down in close proximity to the sea. Ukrainian authorities confirmed the use of an Iskander ballistic missile and cluster munitions by Russian forces in the assault.

Speaking on the incident, Ukraine's Prosecutor General, Andriy Kostin, revealed that metal fragments and debris from the missile were found up to one and a half kilometers away from the site of the attack. He condemned the use of cluster munitions, emphasizing their indiscriminate nature and intent to cause mass casualties.

The aftermath of the strike left around 20 residential buildings damaged, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region. The use of cluster munitions in the attack raises international concern, as their deployment is prohibited under 'The Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM)', an international treaty aimed at curbing their use, transfer, and production.

Despite the treaty, both Russia and the United States, key players in global geopolitics, have refrained from signing the convention. The escalation of violence in Odessa underscores the urgent need for diplomatic intervention to mitigate further bloodshed and civilian suffering in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Stay tuned for more updates as the situation develops.