Russian drones have bombed the Ukrainian Black Sea port city of Odesa, causing injuries to three individuals and igniting significant fires, officials confirmed on Friday. This attack underscored Moscow’s commitment to continue aerial strikes, despite temporarily agreeing to halt strikes on energy facilities. Following the attack, the head of the Odesa region reported localized power outages in three districts, suggesting potential damage to the city’s energy infrastructure. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for unified international pressure on Russia through increased sanctions and defense support to combat such acts of terror.
In response to the drone strike, Russia accused Ukraine of sabotaging a gas facility in the Kursk region, an accusation that Ukraine denies. The attack coincided with a visit from Czech Republic President Peter Pavel to Odesa, where he met with local officials. The Odesa region experienced multiple fires at various locations, prompting a sizable firefighting effort involving over 70 individuals and 20 fire engines.
Meanwhile, differing interpretations of the ceasefire agreement emerged between Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S., with varying understandings of the targets covered by the truce. Despite initial agreements on a limited ceasefire, discrepancies remained over the scope of protected infrastructure, with the White House emphasizing broader coverage, the Kremlin focusing on energy infrastructure, and Zelenskyy advocating for additional protections for railways and ports. Efforts were underway to clarify the specifics of the agreement during technical discussions planned for the weekend in Saudi Arabia.
“The Russian military has agreed to refrain from targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure for a period of 30 days. Kremlin spokesperson Peskov confirmed during a conference call with journalists that this decision was made in alignment with an agreement between Russia and the United States. Other incidents of attacks have been reported by both sides. In one such attack, Russian glide bombs caused injuries to six individuals, including a child, in the Zaporizhzhia region. Photos shared by regional head Ivan Fedorov depicted firefighters battling flames at several damaged residential buildings. The Ukrainian air force disclosed that Russia deployed 214 exploding drones and decoys in a recent assault, with 114 being intercepted and 81 being jammed. Russia’s Defense Ministry reported downing 43 Ukrainian drones, with 34 over the Volgograd region and the remainder over Rostov, Kursk, and Belgorod. No casualties or significant damage were reported by authorities. Additionally, a large fire at an oil depot in the Krasnodar region has been ongoing since a Ukrainian drone strike on Wednesday night.”
