Russian military forces have carried out two separate assaults on the Black Sea port city of Odesa within a single day, targeting critical infrastructure and disrupting power for tens of thousands of residents. The attacks mark a continued escalation in Moscow's campaign against Ukrainian logistics and energy networks.
Dual Strikes Paralyse Port City
According to regional governor Oleh Kiper, the latest strike occurred late on Monday, damaging port facilities and a ship. Emergency crews were swiftly deployed to manage the aftermath, with initial reports indicating no casualties. This assault followed an earlier overnight attack that hit both port and energy infrastructure, sparking a major fire and triggering widespread electricity blackouts across the region.
In a statement on Telegram, Ukrainian deputy prime minister Oleksiy Kuleba accused Russia of a deliberate strategy. "Russia is attempting to disrupt maritime logistics by launching systematic attacks on port and energy infrastructure," he said. The coordinated strikes have plunged parts of Odesa into darkness, underscoring the vulnerability of civilian energy grids.
Parallel Developments: Assassination and Peace Talks
In a separate incident on Monday, a senior Russian military commander was killed in Moscow. Lt Gen Fanil Sarvarov, head of the operational training directorate for the Russian armed forces' general staff, died after an explosive device detonated under his car. Russian investigators have opened a murder inquiry, with Telegram channels linked to security services suggesting the blast occurred around 7am. While Moscow pointed the finger at Ukrainian intelligence, Kyiv has not claimed responsibility.
Amid the violence, former US President Donald Trump offered a brief update on behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts. Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump stated talks to end the conflict were going "OK". "We are talking. It's going OK... I'd like to see it stopped," he remarked, a day after his envoy characterised discussions with Ukrainian and European representatives as productive.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy provided his own assessment of US-led peace proposals, suggesting they contained many of Kyiv's demands but acknowledged compromises were inevitable. "There are some things we are probably not ready for, and I'm sure there are things the Russians are not ready for either," Zelenskyy said on Monday. The Kremlin, however, downplayed the idea of a breakthrough, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov describing the talks as a "working process".
Frontline Tensions and Civilian Abductions
The developments come as Ukrainian forces report battling attempted Russian breakthroughs in the north-eastern region, where Moscow's troops have recently seized several border villages. In a concerning incident, Zelenskyy confirmed that Russian troops had taken residents of Hrabovske village, located on the Sumy region border, away from their homes. "I think they simply didn't expect Russian troops to simply walk in and take them away as prisoners. But that's what happened," the president stated. The Kremlin has not commented on the alleged abductions.
As the war reaches day 1,399, the twin attacks on Odesa highlight Russia's focus on crippling Ukrainian economic and export channels, while fragile diplomatic manoeuvres continue in the background.
