Russia has intensified its strikes on the southern Ukrainian region of Odesa, causing widespread power cuts and threatening the region's maritime infrastructure.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba stated that Moscow is carrying out 'systematic' attacks on the region. Last week, he warned that the focus of the war 'may have shifted towards Odesa'.
President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated that the repeated attacks are an attempt by Moscow to block Ukraine's access to maritime logistics. Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to sever Ukraine's access to the sea in retaliation for drone attacks on tankers from Russia's 'shadow fleet' in the Black Sea.
The term 'shadow fleet' refers to hundreds of tankers that Russia uses to bypass Western sanctions imposed after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
On a recent Sunday night, strikes cut off electricity for 120,000 people in Odesa and sparked a fire at a major port, destroying dozens of containers filled with flour and vegetable oil. This is part of a series of hundreds of strikes that have disrupted power supplies and caused multiple casualties.
Last week, a ballistic missile strike on the Pivdenniy port east of Odesa resulted in eight fatalities and injured at least 30 individuals. Another attack earlier that week claimed the life of a woman traveling in a car with her three children and temporarily severed the region's only bridge linking Ukraine with Moldova.
Zelensky indicated a new commander of the air force for the region would be appointed soon after the dismissal of Dmytro Karpenko over the weekend. The port of Odesa is crucial for Ukraine's economy, particularly as other ports in Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Mykolayiv remain inaccessible due to Russian occupation.
Despite ongoing conflict, Ukraine continues to be one of the world’s top exporters of wheat and corn. Since August 2023, Odesa has served as a key corridor for grain exports, navigating through Romania and Bulgaria and reaching Turkey.
Zelensky warned that 'without pressure on Russia, they have no intention of genuinely ending their aggression', amid the backdrop of recent diplomatic talks in Miami focused on peace efforts. These discussions have so far resulted in optimistic statements but little clear progress toward resolving the ongoing war.
Amid these tensions, U.S. officials are working to align positions on a 20-point draft peace proposal put forward by Ukraine, seen as a counter to a proposal favoring Russia. Russia's government has characterized proposals focusing on European and Ukrainian modifications as attempts to derail potential agreements with the U.S.
As the situation continues to evolve, Russia's actions remain a significant obstacle to peace and stability in the region.
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