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A Russian ballistic missile attack on Ukraine’s Odesa region kills seven and injures 15, targeting port infrastructure as Moscow intensifies strikes following Ukrainian attacks on oil tankers, while diplomacy continues amid rising hostilities.
Attack targets port infrastructure, causes fire in truck parking area.
Kyiv: A Russian missile attack on Ukraine’s Black Sea port region of Odesa killed seven people and injured fifteen others, local authorities reported on Friday. The strike specifically hit port infrastructure, causing significant damage and a fire in a truck parking area, according to Odesa regional governor Oleg Kiper.
Kiper shared the details on social media, highlighting the growing vulnerability of the coastal city, a crucial hub for Ukraine’s maritime trade. The governor emphasized that the port and its surrounding logistics areas were directly affected, disrupting operations in a key economic zone.
Moscow has intensified strikes on Odesa in recent weeks after President Vladimir Putin warned of retaliation following a series of Ukrainian assaults on Russian oil tankers. The coastal region has seen repeated attacks targeting energy and logistics infrastructure, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents without electricity or heating during freezing winter conditions.
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Bridges on the border with Moldova have also been hit, and foreign-flagged civil vessels in regional ports have suffered damage, reflecting the increasing risks faced by international shipping in the Black Sea amid the ongoing conflict.
Earlier on Friday, Ukraine reported striking a Russian "shadow fleet" tanker in neutral Mediterranean waters, marking its first attack in the sea in nearly four years of war. Ukrainian forces had similarly targeted such vessels in the Black Sea earlier this month. These moves are part of Kyiv’s broader strategy to disrupt Russian oil shipments and economic activity while countering Moscow’s military operations.
The Ukrainian strikes appear to have provoked a series of retaliatory attacks on Odesa, demonstrating the escalating cycle of offensive and counteroffensive actions between the two sides.
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The attack comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict, with officials from the United States, Ukraine, and European nations meeting in Miami for another round of talks. These discussions aim to de-escalate tensions and negotiate terms to reduce hostilities, even as both sides continue military operations along strategic locations such as the Odesa region.
Despite ongoing diplomacy, Russia has signaled it will expand its strikes on Ukrainian ports if attacks on tankers continue. Putin warned earlier this month that continued Ukrainian operations could result in Moscow completely cutting off Ukraine’s access to the sea, escalating fears of a prolonged blockade.
The missile strike adds to the humanitarian toll in Odesa, where energy outages and infrastructure damage have compounded challenges for local residents. Fires and destruction at ports have also affected trade, shipping, and employment, highlighting the broader economic consequences of the war.
Authorities are urging residents to remain vigilant as tensions rise, and emergency services are working to contain fires and provide medical care to those injured. The attack underscores the ongoing strategic importance of Odesa as both a commercial hub and a target in the broader conflict.
