Russian Strike Kills Eight in Odesa as Peace Talks Loom

At least eight people were killed and 27 others injured after Russian ballistic missiles struck port facilities in the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa late Friday, Ukrainian emergency services said, as renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war gathered pace.

Officials said several of the wounded were passengers on a bus caught near the blast site. The strikes set multiple trucks on fire and damaged nearby vehicles. Odesa regional governor Oleh Kiper confirmed that the port infrastructure was directly hit.

The attack came as a Kremlin envoy was preparing to travel to the United States for discussions linked to a Washington-backed peace initiative aimed at ending the nearly four-year conflict. The talks follow a series of meetings this week involving Ukrainian, European and US officials.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the direction of the peace process would largely depend on Washington’s engagement with Moscow. Speaking in Kyiv alongside Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, he said it remained unclear how the United States would proceed after holding talks with Russian representatives.

During the visit, Ukraine and Portugal signed an agreement to jointly produce maritime drones, which Zelenskyy described as a significant step in strengthening defence cooperation.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military claimed its drones struck a Russian oil and gas platform at the Filanovsky field, a patrol vessel in the Caspian Sea, and a radar system in Crimea. Russia has not confirmed the claims, while its defence ministry said it targeted Ukrainian transport, storage and energy facilities linked to military operations.

As diplomatic efforts continue, Russia has reiterated its 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 US officials and Kremlin representative Kirill Dmitriev are expected to take place in Miami on Saturday, according to US sources.