At least eight people were killed and 27 others injured after Russian ballistic missiles struck port facilities in Odesa, southern Ukraine, late Friday, according to the country’s emergency services. The attack came as a Kremlin representative prepared to travel to the United States for discussions on a Washington-backed proposal aimed at ending the nearly four-year conflict.
Ukrainian officials said some of the injured were passengers on a bus caught near the blast site. Several trucks were set ablaze and nearby vehicles were damaged. Odesa regional governor Oleh Kiper confirmed the port infrastructure was hit.
The talks are part of the Trump administration’s sustained diplomatic effort to broker peace, following meetings earlier this week in Berlin with Ukrainian and European officials. Ukraine’s chief negotiator said Friday that Kyiv had also concluded separate consultations in the United States with American and European partners.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the outcome would largely depend on Washington’s response after engaging with Moscow. Speaking alongside Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro in Kyiv, Zelenskyy said it remained unclear how the U.S. would proceed following discussions with Russian officials.
Ukraine and Portugal also signed an agreement to jointly produce maritime drones, which Zelenskyy described as a key area of defense cooperation.
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Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military said its drones struck a Russian oil and gas platform at the Filanovsky field, a patrol ship in the Caspian Sea, and a radar system in Crimea. Russia has not confirmed the claims, while its Defense Ministry said it targeted Ukrainian military-linked transport, storage, and energy facilities.
As diplomatic efforts continue, Russia has maintained firm conditions for peace, while the European Union has pledged €90 billion in financial and military assistance to Ukraine over the next two years. Talks between U.S. envoys and Kremlin representative Kirill Dmitriev were expected to take place in Miami on Saturday, according to U.S. officials.
Source: AP