Russian drone attacks batter Kyiv for seventh day, knock out power in Odesa

Ukraine's southern Odesa region faced a massive overnight missile and drone barrage targeting its energy infrastructure, leaving a large number of consumers without power, according to the national grid operator Ukrenergo. The energy ministry reported additional outages in four other regions, signalling a broader assault on the country's power systems.

In the port city of Odesa, eight people, including a child, were injured. A 24-storey residential building was damaged, with flats on several floors destroyed. Office buildings and two educational facilities also suffered damage, said the head of the city's military administration.

The attacks come as the capital Kyiv endures a seventh consecutive day of strikes. Moscow has employed swarms of drones, including fast-flying jet-powered models, in a tactic that has kept the city and its surroundings under constant threat. On Tuesday, Russian air attacks killed 12 people in the region.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that Wednesday's drone strike injured seven people and partially destroyed a six-storey residential building, setting a nearby three-storey structure ablaze. City authorities said a medical facility was also damaged and a fire broke out at an educational institution. Witnesses reported at least three large explosions in the city centre, with black smoke rising near the national university building.

In the wider Kyiv region, two people were injured and warehouses and private buildings were damaged, according to Governor Tymur Tkachenko. The sustained campaign follows Russian President Vladimir Putin's statement on Tuesday that Moscow's forces were preparing massive strikes against energy infrastructure.