Key facts
- Russia attacked Odesa with missiles and drones, killing at least three people.
- The attacks targeted residential buildings, port infrastructure, and a gas pipeline.
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Kyiv to discuss defense cooperation.
- Ukraine reported hitting 20 Russian vessels in the Black Sea overnight.
- Russia claimed to have targeted port infrastructure used for petroleum products and military hardware sites.
Russia has intensified its attacks on the Greater Odesa port cluster in recent days, targeting infrastructure critical to Ukraine's wartime exports and economy. On Wednesday, Russian strikes killed at least three people in Odesa, according to Ukrainian authorities. Governor Oleh Kiper stated that Russia launched a "massive combined missile and drone attack" on the region for the fifth consecutive day, accusing Moscow of deliberately targeting civilians alongside industrial and port infrastructure. A missile strike hit a residential high-rise, resulting in three fatalities and at least three injuries. Rescue workers successfully pulled three residents, including two children, from the damaged building. Kiper indicated that cleanup operations are ongoing and that investigators are documenting alleged Russian war crimes. The increased assaults on Ukraine's Black Sea ports come as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Kyiv for her 11th wartime visit. Her agenda includes announcing new initiatives to integrate defense industries for increased production and discussing Ukraine's EU membership bid and preparations for potential winter attacks. Meanwhile, Ukraine's drone forces reported hitting 20 Russian vessels in the Black Sea overnight.