Russian drones attacked the Ukrainian Black Sea port city of Odesa on Friday, injuring three people and sparking massive fires, according to officials. The attack underlined Moscow’s intention to pursue aerial strikes even as it agreed to temporarily halt strikes on energy facilities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strike, saying “joint pressure” from the US, Europe, and other partners was needed to stop such terror. He expressed hope that real pressure would lead to a diplomatic breakthrough.
Russia accused Ukraine of blowing up a gas facility in Russia’s Kursk region, which Ukraine denies. The Kremlin declared the agreement reached between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump referred only to energy facilities.
The situation remains tense, with other attacks reported by both sides. A massive blaze at an oil depot in Russia’s Krasnodar region has continued to rage since it was hit by a Ukrainian drone attack late Wednesday.
Ukraine and Russia agreed on a limited ceasefire after the US President spoke with their leaders this week, but the deal covers different interpretations of what is included. Technical talks are set to begin in Saudi Arabia on Monday to resolve these differences.
The conflict continues to escalate, with both sides accusing each other of breaching the truce. The situation remains fluid and unpredictable, and it’s unclear how the meeting between US negotiators and Russian officials will end.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-0ca5a0db7c442deb6c6627f5c4eaaa91