Russian shelling near Odesa kills one, hits power supply

City trams stand in depot during a power blackout after critical civil infrastructure was hit by recent Russian missile and drone strikes, in Odesa, Dec. 17, 2025. (Reuters)
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Updated 18 December 2025
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Russian shelling near Odesa kills one, hits power supply

  • A Russian drone killed a woman crossing a bridge in her car southwest of Odesa
  • Her three children were injured in the incident

ODESA: Russian strikes near Ukraine’s Black Sea port of Odesa on Thursday killed a woman in her car and hit infrastructure and the regional governor asked residents suffering long power cuts to stop blocking roads in protest.
Odesa governor Oleh Kiper, writing on Telegram, said a Russian drone killed a woman crossing a bridge in her car southwest of Odesa. Her three children were injured in the incident.
Kiper asked residents whose homes have been hit by extended power outages to exhibit patience and end roadblocks.
“As a result of enemy attacks, the energy infrastructure in Odessa region has suffered extensive damage,” Kiper said. “Power crews are working around the clock and doing everything possible to restore electricity to every home as quickly as possible.”
Ukraine’s border authority said Russian attacks had halted transport along the route linking Odesa to the Danube River port of Reni. Border crossings to Moldova were also affected, it said.


EU leaders agree on €90bn loan to Ukraine

Updated 58 min 58 sec ago
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EU leaders agree on €90bn loan to Ukraine

BRUSSELS: European Union leaders agreed on Friday to provide a massive interest-free loan to Ukraine to meet its military and economic needs for the next two years, EU Council President Antonio Costa said.
“We have a deal. Decision to provide €90 billion  of support to Ukraine for 2026-27 approved. We committed, we delivered,” Costa said in a post on social media, without providing details about how the money would be raised.
The EU leaders worked deep into Thursday night to reassure Belgium that they would provide guarantees to protect it from Russian retaliation if it backed the loan for Ukraine.