Kyiv: Russia unleashed one of its largest drone assaults on the Black Sea city of Odesa, injuring three teenagers and causing widespread damage to residential and commercial buildings. The attack, which triggered multiple fires across the city, was confirmed by Ukrainian officials on Friday.
The escalation comes as the United States pushes for a partial ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, aiming to halt strikes on energy infrastructure from both sides. However, the continued violence underscores the complexities of brokering peace.
Russia pounded Ukraine's Black Sea city of Odesa with one of its biggest drone attacks, injuring three teenagers, damaging residential and commercial buildings, and sparking fires across the city, officials said https://t.co/Nc2AnOEQlz pic.twitter.com/Sicb3K9V18
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 21, 2025
Czech President Narrowly Misses Attack
Czech President Petr Pavel, a strong advocate for Ukraine who spearheaded an initiative to procure over one million artillery shells for Kyiv, was in Odesa for discussions with regional officials shortly before the strikes. He had departed the city by train roughly 20 minutes before the explosions.
Following his arrival in Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Pavel criticized Moscow’s actions, stating, “One has to be truly cynical when declaring the will to have peace negotiations or negotiations on a ceasefire, and at the same time to launch a massive attack on civilian infrastructure. It is extremely difficult to deal with such a party.”
Sustained Drone Waves and Widespread Destruction
The assault on Odesa occurred in multiple waves, with long-range drones targeting infrastructure, residential areas, and commercial facilities. Authorities reported that around 25 cars were set ablaze at a car repair shop, contributing to the devastation.
“We could not do anything. We were just standing and watching as everything was on fire. I am in total shock,” said Inna, the owner of the repair shop, speaking to Reuters.
Military analyst Oleksandr Kovalenko noted that Russia employed new tactics in the attack, deploying drones from higher altitudes and at greater speeds to evade Ukrainian air defenses. He described the assault as one of the “most massive” on Odesa since the war began in February 2022. “It was intimidation. Terror against the civilian population,” he added.
Escalation Beyond Odesa
Meanwhile, tensions between Russia and Ukraine escalated further as both nations accused each other of attacking a major Russian gas pumping and measuring station in Russia’s Kursk region. Moscow labeled the incident as an act of terrorism by Kyiv, while Ukrainian officials claimed Russian forces shelled the facility in a “provocation.”
Both sides had previously agreed, during separate negotiations with U.S. officials, to a moratorium on strikes targeting energy infrastructure. However, Russia rejected a broader 30-day ceasefire proposal.
Delegations from Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. are set to meet in Saudi Arabia on Monday to discuss further details of the potential ceasefire arrangement.
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Aerial Warfare Intensifies
Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched a total of 214 drones overnight. While the exact number targeting Odesa was unspecified, Ukrainian forces managed to shoot down 114 drones, with another 81 being “lost,” a term referring to those neutralized via electronic warfare.
In response, Ukraine has continued its drone operations, striking key Russian targets, including oil infrastructure and a strategic bomber base in recent days.
