KYIV, Dec 31: Russian drone attacks struck the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa overnight, damaging apartment buildings and energy infrastructure and injuring six civilians, including a toddler and two other children, officials said on Wednesday.
Regional military administration head Oleh Kiper reported that four apartment buildings were hit, while power company DTEK said two major energy facilities were significantly damaged. The company added that 10 electricity substations in the Odesa region have been damaged in December alone, worsening pressure on the power grid.
The attack comes as Russia has intensified long-range strikes on Ukrainian cities, particularly targeting energy infrastructure as winter deepens. Ukrainian officials say the goal is to deprive civilians of electricity, heat and running water during the coldest months.
According to United Nations data released earlier this month, more than 2,300 Ukrainian civilians were killed and over 11,000 injured between January and November this year. Civilian casualties during this period were 26 per cent higher than in 2024 and 70 per cent higher than in 2023.
The escalation is unfolding amid renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war, which is approaching its fourth year in February.
US President Donald Trump recently hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Florida and said a settlement was “closer than ever,” while Zelenskyy is expected to hold talks next week with European leaders backing Ukraine.
Despite these initiatives, continued attacks are heightening tensions. Kiper described the Odesa strikes as evidence of “terror tactics” deliberately aimed at civilian infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Moscow claimed that Ukraine attempted to attack Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence using 91 long-range drones, a charge Ukrainian officials denied, calling it an attempt to undermine peace efforts. Russian military officials said the drones were intercepted over several regions, though the claims could not be independently verified.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 127 drones overnight, intercepting 101. Russia, in turn, claimed to have shot down 86 Ukrainian drones, adding that a Ukrainian strike caused a brief fire at an oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region, which was quickly extinguished. (AP)
