Russian forces launched a large overnight drone attack on the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa, killing three people and injuring at least 25 others, Ukrainian officials said Tuesday, as Moscow escalates pressure on Kyiv amid renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war.
The strikes, which tore through residential areas and critical infrastructure, were part of Russia’s ongoing winter campaign targeting Ukraine’s energy network, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia fired more than 50 drones at Odesa alone, describing the assault as particularly destructive as Ukrainian and Russian negotiators prepare for talks scheduled for Sunday.
“Every such Russian strike erodes the diplomacy that is still ongoing and undermines the efforts of partners who are helping to end this war,” Zelenskiy wrote on X, underscoring Kyiv’s concern that intensified attacks are undercutting peace efforts backed by the United States.
Read Also: EU Freezes Russian Assets To Unlock Ukraine Funding
The war, now nearing its fourth year, has increasingly combined battlefield pressure with diplomatic maneuvering, analysts say.
Odesa regional governor Oleh Kiper said the strikes wounded two children and a pregnant woman and damaged dozens of residential buildings, along with a church, a kindergarten, and a high school.
Emergency crews continued searching rubble well into Tuesday after an apartment building was ripped open across several floors. Authorities confirmed that two residents were killed at the site.
Read Also: Russian Tinkov: Says Instagram Post Cost Him $9 Billion Loss
Standing nearby, resident Denys Tsybulskiy said rescuers were still trying to reach his neighbor trapped under debris. “He can’t answer the phone or speak, but there’s hope he’s there,” Tsybulskiy told reporters.
An elderly man watched silently as rescuers carried away the body of his 52-year-old daughter.
Ukraine’s largest private power provider, DTEK, said the attack caused “colossal destruction” to an energy facility in Odesa, worsening electricity supply challenges in the strategically vital Black Sea city.
The overnight assault was not limited to Odesa. In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said a combined missile and drone strike severely damaged an energy facility, cutting power to roughly 80% of the city and surrounding areas.
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov later said about 40% of residents remained without electricity by Tuesday morning.
Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 165 drones nationwide overnight, with 135 intercepted or neutralized by air defenses.
In western Ukraine’s Lviv region, near the Polish border, officials said an infrastructure facility in the town of Brody was also struck, highlighting the widening geographic scope of the attacks.
Odesa’s position on the Black Sea has made it a frequent target in recent months, as Russia seeks to disrupt Ukraine’s export routes and energy resilience.
The latest wave of strikes comes as Washington pushes a peace framework aimed at freezing the conflict, though Kyiv has warned that sustained attacks on civilians and infrastructure complicate negotiations.
Ukrainian officials said rescue operations and damage assessments were ongoing, while air defenses remain on high alert across the country.
