In the Ukrainian city of Odesa, a beloved estate known as the ‘Harry Potter Castle’ was destroyed in a Russian missile strike that also killed four individuals and a dog.
The southern city’s missile strike resulted in injuries to 28 people, including a 12-year-old boy, two other children, and a pregnant woman, confirmed by Odesa’s regional governor, Oleh Kiper.
Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy, indicated that the strike was executed with an Iskander-M ballistic missile armed with a cluster warhead.
By evening, flames continued to engulf the iconic structure’s turrets, and emergency teams rated the fire as severe. Ukrainian officials have condemned the attack as a “war crime,” according to Euro News.
Odesa’s Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov, in a Telegram video, expressed his outrage, saying: “Monsters. Beasts. Savages. Scum. I don’t know what else to say.”
“People are going for a walk by the sea, and they are shooting and killing,” he continued.
Here’s what you need to know about Ukraine’s ‘Harry Potter castle’:
What exactly is the ‘Harry Potter Castle’ in Ukraine?
Often referred to by locals as “The House of Harry Potter,” this striking Gothic-style edifice is a mansion reportedly owned by Ukrainian politician Serhiy Kivalov.
Positioned near Odesa’s port area, the Kivalov mansion features mock-châteaux architecture. According to a 2015 UNIAN information agency report, the property includes landscaped gardens, a tennis court, and a private beach.
The Telegraph states that the building serves as both the residence of former MP Kivalov and a private law academy that he operates.
According to public broadcaster Suspilne, the academy’s president and noted former parliament member Serhiy Kivalov was among those injured in the missile attack.
