Deadly Russian Barrage Slams Kyiv and Odesa, Three Killed, Maternity Hospital Hit

Russia unleashed a ferocious torrent of drones and missiles upon the capital, Kyiv, and the vital Black Sea port city of Odesa, claiming at least three innocent lives and leaving a trail of devastation that included a direct hit on a maternity hospital.

This intensified assault arrives amidst the grim backdrop of stalled peace talks, prompting a desperate plea from Kyiv for its Western allies to unleash “concrete action” and finally wrench a conclusion from the brutal, three-year-long war.

In Odesa, the air was thick with the terror of “massive attack with strike drones,” as confirmed by Governor Oleg Kiper. Two lives were tragically extinguished, and at least nine wounded, as the city bore the brunt of the onslaught.

The sheer audacity of the attack saw a maternity hospital, an emergency medical ward, and numerous residential buildings directly struck. A sliver of fortune, however, meant the maternity hospital was miraculously evacuated in time, averting an even more catastrophic loss of life.

In central Kyiv, an AFP journalist reported a symphony of chaos: a dozen thunderous explosions, relentless anti-aircraft fire, and the ominous, persistent buzz of incoming drones. City officials confirmed one fatality and four injuries in the capital, with raging fires engulfing buildings and cars across at least seven districts.

Responding to the ruthless overnight barrage of over 300 drones and seven missiles, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s voice resonated with raw urgency. “Action from America, which has the power to force Russia into peace. Action from Europe, which has no alternative but to be strong,” he implored on social media.

In a chilling revelation, Zelensky also disclosed that two of the missiles were of North Korean origin, a stark testament to Russia’s deepening and increasingly dangerous military ties with Pyongyang.

The Russian Ministry of Defence, in a stark contrast to the civilian carnage, claimed its strikes targeted “Ukrainian aviation, missile, armoured vehicle and ship-building facilities in Kyiv” with a “group strike,” asserting “The goal of the strikes was achieved. All designated objects were hit.” Yet, the stark images emerging from Odesa and Kyiv paint a devastating picture of civilian suffering, squarely contradicting Moscow’s narrative.

This latest escalation crushes any lingering hope from a failed round of peace talks in Turkey last week. While a major prisoner exchange and the repatriation of fallen soldiers’ bodies offered a fleeting glimmer of progress, broader negotiations for an end to the conflict remain frozen.

Russia has adamantly rejected calls for an unconditional ceasefire, while Ukrainian officials, including President Zelensky, openly express their frustration with the lack of meaningful engagement.

The war, ignited by Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, has plunged Europe into its most significant conflict since World War II, forcibly displacing millions and laying waste to vast swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine.

Ukrainian cities endure near-daily aerial assaults, with Russia launching a staggering 479 explosive drones at Ukraine just the night before this latest attack.

Kyiv has retaliated with its own strikes deep within Russian territory, targeting vital transport and weapons production infrastructure.

On Tuesday, Russia’s transport agency Rosaviatsia confirmed temporary flight restrictions at over a dozen Russian airports – a routine measure during Ukrainian drone incursions. Near the Ukrainian border, in the city of Belgorod, Russian emergency services reported one fatality from a Ukrainian drone attack on a petrol station.

Despite continued international diplomatic efforts, including pressure for a ceasefire, peace negotiations remain agonizingly at a standstill.

While a significant prisoner swap of young, sick, or severely wounded soldiers commenced on Monday, President Zelensky had last week already dismissed further talks with the current Russian delegation as “pointless” without a firm commitment to halting hostilities.

As Russian forces continue their relentless advances across the front lines, the devastating human cost of this protracted conflict mounts with each passing day, tragically underscored by the latest casualties and widespread destruction in Kyiv and Odesa.