Ukraine and Russia accuse each other of lethal attacks

On Sunday, Ukraine and Russia traded accusations of lethal attacks, with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy alleging that Moscow was sabotaging global food security by striking Odessa's seaport. Three individuals were killed and 37 wounded in Kharkiv when a multi-storey apartment block was hit, while Russia's Belgorod reported five fatalities and 25 wounded following a Ukrainian drone attack.

Zelenskiy stated that Odesa's seaport had been damaged by a strike, with local authorities reporting dozens of drones and missiles hitting the southern seaside city, resulting in a dozen injuries. The president emphasized that Russia's actions threatened global food security, as Odessa's seaports serve as a vital artery for Ukraine's significant agricultural exports.

Russia, in response, launched assaults on nine other Ukrainian regions on Sunday. The nation has been targeting Odessa in an effort to isolate Ukraine from the Black Sea. Local resident Ihor, 67, expressed that the port area was the most common target. Ukraine has retaliated by attacking Russian oil tankers and cargo vessels in the Black Sea, claiming three such strikes on Sunday alone.

Both nations have intensified their campaign against one another's logistics, including e-commerce warehouses and petrol stations. Ukraine's state oil and gas company, Naftogaz, reported a surge in attacks on its facilities over the past three days, including oil extraction sites in the early hours of Sunday. The Ukrainian energy ministry confirmed that Russia had targeted power facilities in the Odessa region, causing a significant portion of the city's residents to lose electricity. Power has since been restored to 90,000 consumers.

Meanwhile, in the Vatican, Pope Leo reiterated his plea for an end to the four-and-a-half-year war, deploring the increasing number of tragic incidents causing civilian casualties, including children, during his Angelus prayer.