What happened
A Russian drone struck the Ukrainian port city of Odesa on Monday, killing two women and a toddler. At least 16 people were wounded, including two teenagers.
Ukrainian officials said the strike targeted a residential area. No military installations were in the vicinity.
Why it matters
The deliberate targeting of civilian areas with explosive drones is a war crime under international humanitarian law. Odesa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has endured repeated Russian attacks on residential neighbourhoods since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Energy infrastructure hit
Overnight Russian strikes on energy infrastructure in the northern Chernihiv region left more than 340,000 subscribers without power. The attacks are part of a sustained Russian campaign to destroy Ukraine’s electricity grid ahead of the remaining cold-weather weeks.
Ukraine’s energy system has been a persistent target. Each wave of strikes forces emergency rationing and puts hospitals, schools, and water treatment plants at risk.
The toll
Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed its air defences shot down 50 Ukrainian drones overnight. Ukraine’s military reported Russian losses of 980 personnel and 1,945 drones on Sunday alone.
The numbers underscore the scale of a war now in its fourth year, with no ceasefire in prospect. Peace talks in Geneva ended abruptly in recent weeks with no agreement.
Accountability
The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin in March 2023 for the unlawful deportation of children. Civilian deaths from drone strikes add to the body of evidence being compiled by international prosecutors.