Russian drone attacks have intensified around the Black Sea, with a recent strike on a high‑rise office building in Odesa tearing apart a wall on the 25th floor and scattering debris across the street. Residents, including 35‑year‑old Anastasia who fled the Donetsk region after the Russian invasion, report hearing the loud Shahed drone before the blast. Local officials say the attacks have cut power, water and heating to large parts of the city, leaving some neighborhoods without electricity for up to ten hours a day. Kyiv’s navy spokesperson Dmitro Pletenciuk notes that the most extensive strike on December 13 involved 160 missiles and drones, leaving 60 % of the region without basic utilities. Governor Oleh Kiper warns that while the Black Sea is a natural defence, it also exposes Odesa to aerial attacks from occupied Crimea. Lieutenant‑Colonel Denis Nosikov stresses that Russia’s combination of drones, missiles and online influence is aimed at breaking civilian morale. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has repeatedly warned that Moscow seeks to sever Ukraine’s maritime access, threatening the export of 90 % of Ukrainian agricultural goods through Odesa ports. The attacks, part of Russia’s broader strategy to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and economic lifelines, continue to cause significant civilian hardship and disrupt the city’s functioning. The situation underscores the ongoing war’s reach into civilian life and the strategic importance of the Black Sea region.

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