Russia launched a large-scale drone attack on Ukraine’s southern Odesa region early Friday, damaging infrastructure and cutting electricity to thousands of people, local officials said, according to Euro News.
Ukrainian air defence systems intercepted most of the incoming drones, but falling debris damaged power lines, leaving around 4,000 residents without electricity. Regional governor Oleh Kiper said repair teams were already working to restore power. No deaths or serious injuries were reported in the area.
The overnight assault also reached the Black Sea, where three commercial ships traveling along Ukraine’s maritime corridor were struck by Russian drones. The vessels, flying the flags of Vanuatu, the Comoros, and Panama, caught fire after the தாக்க, but crew members managed to put out the flames. Two sailors were injured on one ship but did not require hospital treatment.
The port city of Izmail, near the Romanian border, was also targeted. In a rare spillover of the conflict, a Russian drone crossed into Romanian territory and crashed into a residential building in the eastern city, causing a fire on the roof. The building was evacuated, and two people were injured, according to Romanian officials.
The incident drew strong reactions from European countries and NATO, as Romania is a member of the alliance. It follows a series of recent cases in which drones linked to the war have entered the airspace of neighboring countries.
Odesa, Ukraine’s third-largest city and a key port, has been under frequent attack in recent months as Russia attempts to weaken Ukraine’s access to the Black Sea and disrupt its economy.
Elsewhere, the southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia also came under fire, with residential buildings damaged and one woman injured.
Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 232 drones overnight, of which 217 were intercepted. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that intelligence suggests more large-scale attacks may be coming, urging international partners to remain alert to the ongoing threat.
