A new series of Russian bombings against Ukraine left at least six civilians dead and numerous wounded in different regions of the country, according to Ukrainian authorities. The victims include children and a pregnant woman, which once again brought the international spotlight back to the humanitarian impact of the conflict triggered by the Russian invasion nearly four years ago.
The attacks took place in the context of a sustained offensive against energy infrastructure and residential areas, in the middle of winter, while diplomatic efforts led by the United States to try to achieve a ceasefire continue.
Drone attack in Odesa: civilian victims and damage to buildings
In the port city of Odesa, in southern Ukraine, a drone attack left three people dead and around 30 wounded, including two children and a pregnant woman, according to local authorities.
According to official reports, Russia launched more than 50 drones, some of them with recent technological upgrades that increase their range and destructive capacity. The devices struck the power grid, a recurring target for Moscow, and hit at least five apartment blocks, in addition to damaging a Protestant place of worship.
Nuevos bombardeos rusos en Ucrania dejaron al menos seis civiles muertos y decenas de heridos
President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that rescue operations were continuing due to the possibility that there were people trapped under the rubble.
Deaths also in the east and south of the country
The bombings were not limited to Odesa. In the east of the country, a bomb hit the city of Sloviansk, in the Donetsk region, where a couple around 40 years of age died and their 20-year-old son was wounded.
There were also attacks in the Zaporizhzhia region, where a man died inside his home, and in Kherson, where another person lost his life after a Russian bombing. Ukrainian authorities indicated that the attacks targeted civilian areas with no immediate military value.
Zelensky called for accelerating diplomatic efforts
He also urged the international community to toughen sanctions against Russia in order to force the Kremlin to make real concessions.
Nuevos bombardeos rusos en Ucrania dejaron al menos seis civiles muertos y decenas de heridos
Technological escalation and use of new drones
During the night, Russia launched 165 drones, 24 of which managed to break through air defenses and hit targets in seven regions of Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. Authorities warned that Moscow is improving its drone tactics and technology.
Ukrainian intelligence confirmed the use of the new Geran-5 attack drone, a Russian variant of the Iranian Shahed model, capable of carrying a 90-kilogram (198.4-pound) warhead and with a range close to 1,000 kilometers (621.4 miles).
In response, Ukraine intensified the production of interceptor drones and the development of its own long-range devices.
