KYIV, Ukraine — A barrage of Russian drones struck residential buildings and the power network in the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa overnight, leaving six individuals injured, including a small child and two other minors, according to Ukrainian officials on Wednesday.

Four residential buildings sustained damage during the assault, reported Oleh Kiper, the head of Odesa’s regional military administration. Energy provider DTEK confirmed that two of its power facilities were heavily impacted. The company also noted that in December alone, 10 power substations across the Odesa region were affected by attacks.

This year, Russia has significantly increased its long-range strikes on Ukrainian cities. With the full-scale war nearing its four-year mark in February, Moscow has also stepped up efforts to disable Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, apparently aiming to deprive civilians of electricity and heating during the harsh winter.

The United Nations recently reported that from January through November, over 2,300 Ukrainian civilians had died and more than 11,000 had been wounded. These figures represent a 26% rise compared to the same timeframe in 2024, and a 70% increase over 2023 figures.

Russia’s continuing attacks by drone and missile have unfolded alongside renewed diplomatic moves aimed at ending the conflict.

Over the weekend, former U.S. President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his estate in Florida, stating that a resolution to the war now appears "closer than ever." President Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet next week with European leaders backing Ukraine, in hopes of progressing toward an acceptable peace agreement.

Meanwhile, tensions continue to escalate due to the ongoing assaults.

“These nighttime strikes on Odesa further illustrate the enemy’s terror-driven tactics, which specifically aim at civilian infrastructure,” said regional chief Kiper.

Russia, on the other hand, has accused Ukraine of launching an operation using 91 long-range drones targeting President Vladimir Putin’s residence in the northwestern part of the country over the weekend. Ukrainian authorities deny the accusation, calling it a fabrication meant to derail ongoing peace discussions.

Maj. Gen. Alexander Romanenkov of the Russian air force stated on Wednesday that the drones originated from Ukraine’s Sumy and Chernihiv regions.

During a press briefing, he unveiled a map outlining the drones’ flight paths, which were intercepted by Russian air defense systems above the Bryansk, Tver, Smolensk, and Novgorod regions.

These claims could not be independently verified.

Ukraine’s air force announced on Wednesday that Russian forces launched 127 drones throughout the night, and 101 of them were successfully downed by Ukrainian defenses.

Simultaneously, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that 86 Ukrainian drones were shot down over Russian territory, the Black Sea, and the occupied Crimean peninsula.

Local officials in Russia’s Krasnodar region reported that a Ukrainian drone caused a blaze at an oil refinery; however, the fire was quickly extinguished without major damage.