Russian drone strike kills elderly couple in Odesa amid escalating conflict

A Ukrainian married couple, both aged 75, were killed in a Russian drone attack on Odesa, according to Ukrainian officials. The assault involved a series of drone strikes that targeted residential buildings and a foreign merchant ship. Strikes overnight injured at least 13 people, with the State Emergency Service reporting the couple's death and another individual wounded.

Serhiy Lysak, head of the local military administration, shared images of the destruction, stating, "Municipal services have been working at the sites of the hits since night." Additionally, two Russian drones struck a bulk carrier navigating through a Ukrainian maritime corridor, causing a fire that was extinguished by the crew. Ukraine's Air Force reported that of the 107 drones launched by Russia, 96 were destroyed or jammed, while 10 drones and two ballistic missiles successfully hit their targets.

These attacks coincide with new European Union sanctions targeting Russia's energy, banking, and trade sectors. Russia's mission to the EU criticized the sanctions, claiming they lack UN legitimacy and infringe on third countries' rights. Meanwhile, the EU approved a 90 billion-euro wartime loan for Ukraine, expected to cover a significant portion of its funding needs for the next two years as the conflict persists into its fifth year.