- Russian drone attack kills 2 and injures 14 in Odesa, including children.
- Ukraine hits key Russian airbase, damaging Su-34 bombers.
- Peace talks remain deadlocked as frontline violence escalates.
A deadly Russian drone strike in the Black Sea port city of Odesa has left two civilians dead and at least 14 wounded, including three children—one of whom is in critical condition.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces launched a high-impact counteroffensive by targeting Russia’s Marinovka airbase in the Volgograd region, approximately 900 kilometers from the border.
Ukraine Hits Back: Odesa Mourns as Russian Bombers Burn in Volgograd Strike
In the southeastern Ukrainian city of Samar, a separate Russian missile attack killed five people and wounded 25 others, marking the second assault on the city in just three days. Local authorities reported that several victims remain in critical condition. Officials have not disclosed the exact target, but the pattern suggests a sustained effort to damage Ukraine’s industrial and energy infrastructure.
In the Kherson region, Russian forces struck a crucial energy facility, prompting widespread power outages. The regional governor warned residents to prepare for extended blackouts, as repairs could take time. This area, near active combat zones, has repeatedly seen essential utilities targeted in what analysts describe as a strategy to destabilize civilian life.
On the eastern front, Russian forces claimed to have seized control of Nova Kruhlyakivka in the Kharkiv region. While Ukraine has not confirmed the loss, the village’s location near contested areas makes it a strategic foothold. Russian state media broadcast the claim as a symbolic advance, although independent verification remains pending.
Diplomatic efforts remain at a standstill, with Russian President Vladimir Putin declaring peace proposals from both sides as fundamentally contradictory. Speaking after a meeting in Minsk, he accused NATO of stoking tensions with an “aggressive” push to raise defense spending. Despite his remarks, Putin also signaled readiness for renewed peace talks in Istanbul, though no timeline has been agreed upon.
As civilian casualties mount and strategic strikes deepen, the path to peace appears increasingly fraught. Ukraine’s resilience is matched by Russia’s resolve, leaving diplomacy to battle through smoke and sirens.
“In war, truth is the first casualty.” – Aeschylus
