Russia launched a deadly missile strike on port infrastructure in Ukraine’s southern city of Odesa, killing eight people and injuring 27 others, Ukraine’s emergency services said on Saturday. The attack came as Moscow stepped up strikes across the Black Sea region, focusing on ports, energy facilities, and a vital transport route leading to the Moldovan border.

The latest assault highlights a sharp escalation in Russia’s campaign against one of Ukraine’s most important economic and trade hubs.

Ports and Energy Sites Under Sustained Attack

Officials said the strike was part of a near-continuous wave of drone and missile attacks on Odesa, a region that hosts ports crucial for Ukraine’s foreign trade and fuel imports. The bombardment has intensified at a time when diplomatic efforts to end the war are still underway.

Last week, one of the largest Russian air attacks on the Black Sea region damaged key energy infrastructure and triggered a major blackout in Odesa, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents without electricity for several days.

In December, Russian strikes on ports also damaged three Turkish-flagged vessels, underlining the growing risk to international shipping.

Strategic Bridge and Transport Corridor Targeted

Ukrainian officials said Russian forces targeted a bridge over the Dniester river estuary on Thursday and Friday near the village of Mayaky, northeast of the Pivdennyi port. The bridge serves as the only major route connecting parts of the region and leads toward Moldova’s western border crossings.

On Saturday, another strike hit reservoirs at the Pivdennyi port, according to Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba, just a day after a missile attack on the same port killed eight people and wounded at least 30.

Because of the damage, Ukrainian authorities temporarily rerouted passengers to alternative crossings, including water routes into Moldova.

Ukraine Accuses Russia of Targeting Civilians

Ukrainian officials accused Moscow of using terror tactics after failing to make gains on the battlefield.

“Without significant success on the (battle) front, the enemy is trying to terrorise civilians to create internal destabilisation. These plans are clear, and we are effectively countering them together with the people of Odesa,” deputy presidential administration head Viktor Mykyta said on Telegram.

He added that Ukraine would establish as many alternative border crossings as needed, “no matter how hard the enemy tries to destroy the connection”.

Russian authorities have not commented on the attacks.

Putin Threatens to Cut Ukraine Off From the Sea

The renewed airstrikes followed a direct warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week. Speaking on Tuesday, Putin said Russia could try to block Ukraine’s access to the sea in response to Kyiv’s maritime drone attacks on Russian tankers.

“The most radical solution is to cut Ukraine off from the sea, then piracy will be impossible in principle,” Putin said in televised remarks.

Ukraine says the tankers belong to Russia’s sanctions-evading “shadow fleet” and are used to transport oil, which remains Moscow’s main source of revenue for funding its nearly four-year-long invasion.

Diplomatic Efforts Continue Despite Escalation

The attacks came even as the United States continued diplomatic efforts to push for an end to the war. U.S. negotiators were scheduled to meet Russian officials in Florida on Saturday as part of Washington’s latest attempt to move Moscow and Kyiv toward a negotiated settlement.

These talks follow meetings earlier this week in Berlin involving Ukrainian and European officials. Ukraine’s chief negotiator said late Friday that his delegation had completed separate discussions in the United States with American and European partners.

EU Agrees on Major Financial Support for Ukraine

Meanwhile, European Union leaders agreed on Friday to provide Ukraine with a large interest-free loan to support both its military and economic needs over the next two years. The move signals continued European backing even as Russia intensifies pressure along the Black Sea coast.

As fighting and diplomacy unfold in parallel, the situation in Odesa remains tense, with Ukraine bracing for further strikes on infrastructure critical to its survival and trade.