Russian drones struck apartment buildings and power infrastructure in the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa overnight, injuring six people, among them a toddler and two other children, officials said on Wednesday.
According to regional military administration chief Oleh Kiper, at least four residential buildings were damaged in the attack. Ukraine’s DTEK power utility said two of its energy facilities were hit, adding that 10 electricity substations in the Odesa region have been damaged in December alone — a figure 26% higher than the same period in 2024 and 70% higher than in 2023.
The latest strikes came as Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated confidence in Russia’s eventual victory in Ukraine, despite renewed diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the nearly four-year-old war.
Russian attacks have continued even as Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Florida resort on Sunday, saying a settlement was “closer than ever.” Zelenskyy is expected to meet European leaders next week to seek backing for acceptable peace terms.
In his traditional New Year address, delivered against a snowy Kremlin backdrop, Putin praised Russian troops fighting in Ukraine, calling them heroes defending their homeland. “We believe in you and in our victory,” he said, according to Russian state media.
Meanwhile, tensions escalated further after Moscow alleged that Ukraine attempted to attack Putin’s residence with 91 long-range drones. Ukrainian officials dismissed the claim as a provocation meant to undermine peace talks. Russia said the drones were launched from Ukraine’s Sumy and Chernihiv regions and intercepted over several Russian areas, though the reports could not be independently verified.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described the allegations as a “deliberate distraction,” saying unsubstantiated claims from the aggressor should not be accepted.
Zelenskyy also announced that Romania and Croatia have joined a NATO-backed fund that purchases US weapons for Ukraine. Known as the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), the fund now has contributions from 24 countries and has received $4.3 billion since August.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 127 drones overnight, with 101 intercepted. Russia, in turn, claimed to have shot down 86 Ukrainian drones over its territory, the Black Sea and the annexed Crimea peninsula. An украин drone attack briefly sparked a fire at an oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region, which authorities said was quickly extinguished.
