Heavy Russian Attacks on Odessa
Heavy Russian Attacks on Odessa
Russia is attempting to disrupt maritime logistics in Odessa through systematic attacks, wrote Oleksii Kuleba on Telegram. Last week, he warned that the focus of the war might have shifted to Odessa.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the repeated attacks on Odessa are Moscow’s attempt to cut Ukraine off from access to sea logistics. Earlier in December, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to cut Ukraine off from the sea in retaliation for drone attacks on Russian ‘shadow fleet’ tankers in the Black Sea.
Around 30 containers containing flour and vegetable oil caught fire following the nighttime attacks on Odessa, with one person reported injured according to the Interior Ministry. No Russian statement was available.
Russia launched an attack overnight with more than 30 missiles and 650 drones, affecting at least 13 Ukrainian regions, Zelensky said. Air raid alerts continued across the country due to Russian missile and drone attacks, which also targeted infrastructure.
The renewed Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure caused emergency power shutdowns nationwide, the Ukrainian Energy Ministry reported. The attacks caused fires in several regions according to the electricity provider Ukrenerho.
Zelensky reported at least three fatalities, including a four-year-old child. In Kyiv, at least three people were injured, and debris from a downed drone fell on a residential building, breaking windows. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko urged people to seek shelter in safe rooms.
Zelensky criticized the Russian attack occurring just before Christmas, calling it a clear signal of Russia’s priorities amid ongoing negotiations to end the war.
According to Zelensky, Russian forces abducted 52 residents from the border village of Hrabovske, including 13 Ukrainian soldiers. Ukrainian forces did not fire on the village to protect civilians.
In response to Russian airstrikes near the western border of Ukraine, Poland raised its air force alert and deployed fighter jets to secure Polish airspace.