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Russian Missile Strikes Kill 8 in Odesa as Ukraine, Russia Trade Blows Amid Miami Peace Talks
At least eight killed and 27 wounded after Russian missile hits Odesa port infrastructure; fighting continues across multiple fronts as US-led negotiations aim to end the war.
MH
by Muhammad Hashir
2025-12-20
Russian Missile Strikes Kill 8 in Odesa as Ukraine, Russia Trade Blows Amid Miami Peace Talks

At least eight people were killed and 27 wounded after a Russian ballistic missile struck port infrastructure in Odesa late Friday, Ukrainian authorities said, as Moscow escalates attacks on the Black Sea region while peace talks remain ongoing.

The attack targeted critical logistics facilities, with some of the wounded trapped on a bus at the strike’s epicentre and trucks igniting in a nearby car park. Ukrainian officials said the bombardment is part of a sustained campaign against civilian infrastructure, leaving over two million residents without electricity, water, or heating amid freezing winter temperatures.

A second Russian strike on Saturday hit reservoirs in Odesa, which Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba described as deliberately targeting civilian logistics routes.

Escalation Across Fronts

Russian claims of capturing the villages of Svitle in Donetsk and Vysoke in Sumy could not be independently verified. Meanwhile, Ukraine responded with operations targeting Russian military and energy assets, including strikes on the Filanovsky oil rig in the Caspian Sea and a Kilo-class submarine at the Novorossiysk Naval Base.

Ukrainian drones also hit a Russian patrol ship near the Filanovsky rig, marking the first officially acknowledged strike on Caspian drilling infrastructure.

Miami Peace Talks

The attacks come as American and European officials convene in Miami for high-level talks aimed at ending the nearly four-year war. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would not force Ukraine into any agreement. Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are leading talks with Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov and representatives from the UK, France, and Germany, while Russian negotiators meet separately with US officials.

The primary sticking point remains territorial concessions. Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded Ukraine cede all territory captured in four key regions and Crimea, while also withdrawing troops from parts of eastern Donetsk – demands Kyiv has rejected.

Ongoing Fighting and International Support

Despite Russian claims of battlefield dominance, Ukrainian forces have regained almost all of Kupiansk in the north and maintained control over Pokrovsk in Donetsk, challenging Moscow’s narrative of total control.

Ukraine received a major boost as European leaders agreed to provide a €90 billion ($105bn) loan to support military and economic needs over the next two years. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the funds would be directed toward defence if the war continues or reconstruction if peace is achieved.

The war’s fourth winter continues to devastate Ukraine’s infrastructure and civilians, highlighting the urgent need for both humanitarian aid and a lasting diplomatic resolution.
Tagged:

ukrainewar

RussiaUkraineConflict

BlackSea

Odesa
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