Russia launched more than 200 missiles and drones at Ukraine on Saturday night, stepping up attacks over the weekend as Ukraine runs short of vital air defences.
The coastal town of Odesa bore the brunt of the strikes, which injured a dozen people and damaged the Chornomorets Stadium, the city's largest sports arena. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the seaport was hit, saying: "In this way, the Russians are at war with the world's food security."
According to reports, missiles also struck a high-rise apartment block in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city. Officials said three people died and 37 were wounded after smoke rose from the ten-storey building, while Ukrainian drones killed five people and injured 24 in Russia's border region of Belgorod in response.
US intelligence warnings on Baltic states
The blitz came as US intelligence warned Russian President Vladimir Putin could order an attack on a Baltic state within weeks. Scenarios range from a cyber attack to a small-scale land incursion, according to The Wall Street Journal, with reports stating the move could come between this autumn and 2029 to challenge NATO's Article 5 commitment that an attack on one member is an attack on all.
Black Sea strikes and energy infrastructure
Ukraine claimed three strikes on Russian oil tankers and other cargo ships in the Black Sea on Sunday as both sides ramped up attacks on logistics. E-commerce warehouses and Ukrainian petrol stations came under heavy attack over the summer, and Ukrainian state oil and gas giant Naftogaz said attacks on its locations increased significantly in recent days.
Ukraine's energy ministry said Russia attacked power facilities in the Odesa region, causing a significant amount of the port city's residents to lose electricity on Saturday night before power was restored to 90,000 residents. Russia's defence ministry said it hit fuel storage facilities used in the interests of the Ukrainian military in the ports of Odesa and nearby Chornomorsk.
Pope Leo renewed his calls for an end to the four-year war on Sunday at the Vatican, saying: "Tragic incidents are multiplying, causing an ever-growing number of civilian victims, including children."
