A Russian attack against the port city of Odessa, in southern Ukraine, killed one person, injured at least ten people and left 40,000 inhabitants without power and heating this Friday (15).
According to the local mayor, Gennadii Trujanov, Russian forces used missiles and drones, which hit hospitals, buildings, churches and educational institutions. Trujanov also reported, on his social networks, that the fatal victim was a 35-year-old woman, who was sleeping near a window.
Emergency services in the city, located at a strategic point on the Black Sea, recorded significant material damage – such as the complete destruction of a residential building in the central region and damage to energy infrastructure.
It is estimated that the Russians have already destroyed or damaged about two-thirds of this infrastructure across Ukraine. A situation that will worsen with the arrival of winter, when millions of people will have to deal with blackouts and face negative temperatures without heating.
Putin talks to Scholz about war in Ukraine after 2 years of no contact
Also this Friday, Russian dictator Vladimir spoke again, after two years, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. By telephone, Scholz asked Putin to open “serious negotiations with Kiev to achieve peace”, according to German government sources told the press.
The chancellor also emphasized that “none of Russia’s war objectives” have been achieved since the start of the war – which kills almost a thousand people a day. And he especially condemned air strikes against civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.
Putin, on the other hand, made a point of stressing that “the Russian side never gave up and remains open to resuming the negotiations that were interrupted by Kiev”.
The dictator also highlighted that “the current crisis is a direct result of NATO’s aggressive policy for many years, which sought to create a platform against Russia on Ukrainian territory, ignoring the rights of Russian speakers.”
At the end of the conversation, the two committed to maintaining more frequent contact from now on.