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Russian forces have utilized numerous drones manufactured by Iran in their sixth assault within a month on the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa. This coincides with Nato’s head joining other allies of Kyiv in refusing a plea from Pope Francis to “have the courage of the white flag” and seek out negotiations to conclude Russia’s invasion.
The governor of Odesa Oblast, Oleh Kiper, reported that Russia launched a minimum of 25 Shahed kamikaze drones towards the region along the Black Sea. The air defenses were engaged for nearly two hours in the early hours of yesterday and approximately 15 drones were successfully taken down. The attack resulted in damage to infrastructure.
Mr. Kiper reported on Telegram that a large drone attack was carried out by the Russians in the Odesa region during the night.
“Regrettably, it was impossible to prevent the impact. In the Odesa region, there was damage to an infrastructure facility and administrative buildings. A fire broke out but was swiftly extinguished at the scene. The shockwave shattered windows of nearby private homes and caused destruction to commercial buildings due to debris.”
According to a statement from President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday, Russia had deployed 175 drones in March before the attack occurred. This brings the total number of drones launched for the month to 200. Ukrainian estimates state that approximately 165 drones have been shot down.
Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of NATO, stated that Pope Francis was incorrect in his suggestion for Kyiv to surrender and engage in peace negotiations with Russia. In response to the Pope’s statement, Mr. Stoltenberg told Reuters that providing military assistance to Ukraine is the key to achieving a peaceful and lasting solution.
“Discussions of Ukrainian surrender are not appropriate at this point. It would be devastating for the Ukrainian people and pose a threat to everyone involved,” he stated. “The results of negotiations are closely tied to the power on the front lines.”
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Recently, Odesa has experienced multiple strikes from Russia.
Ukraine has continually refused to negotiate a peace agreement with Russia and instead has urged the Kremlin to remove its troops to the borders of 1991. Currently, Russia controls almost 20 percent of Ukraine.
President Zelensky claimed the pope was involved in “virtual negotiation”, and the foreign minister stated that Kyiv would never surrender.
In Ukraine, there were numerous buildings and churches that were once pristine but have now been destroyed by Russian shelling,” stated Mr Zelensky. “This clearly shows who is responsible for ending the war.”
Foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said: “The strongest is the one who, in the battle between good and evil, stands on the side of good rather than attempting to put them on the same footing and call it ‘negotiations’.
“The flag of our nation consists of two colors, yellow and blue. It symbolizes our unwavering devotion and resilience, as it represents us in both life and death. Our loyalty to this flag will never falter, and we will never display any other banners.”
The statements made by Pope Francis have caused frustration among Ukrainian leaders and members of the European community.
Russia has intensified bombardments of Ukrainian ports, including Odesa, and grain infrastructure after Moscow last summer pulled out of a United Nations-brokered deal that allowed some food exports to flow, despite the war, now in its third year. Ukraine is a major agricultural producer and exporter and Kyiv has since set up an alternative corridor to ship its products via its Black Sea ports near Odesa. Ukrainian officials have said that exports of different cargo – including grains and metal – from Ukrainian Black Sea ports reached nearly pre-invasion levels last month.
According to a statement from agrarian holding Ukrlandfarming, a large grain silo in the eastern Ukrainian Dnipro region was destroyed over the weekend due to a missile attack from Russia. The company reported that one of their 58-year-old employees was injured in the attack and their production facilities were completely destroyed.
Last month, experts at the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) reported that the agricultural industry in Ukraine has experienced losses of nearly $80 billion (£62 billion) due to the invasion by Russia, including both direct and indirect impacts.
In January of 2023, analysts predicted that the total losses from equipment destruction, silo damage, and destroyed agricultural products would amount to $38 billion. This includes $5.8 billion in equipment losses, $1.8 billion in silo damage, and nearly $2 billion in ruined agricultural products.
In the meantime, Ukraine’s intelligence agencies have shared a one-hour video detailing their assaults on occupied Ukraine, claiming that it was part of a larger plan to launch a significant operation in Crimea.
The peninsula has been controlled by Russia since 2014, when they unlawfully took it over after the pro-European Maidan revolution in Kyiv led to the removal of the pro-Kremlin government in the capital.
The intelligence agency of Ukraine has continuously engaged in assaults against Russian vessels and hostile troops within Crimea and the surrounding areas under occupation.
According to Kyrylo Budanov, the intelligence chief of Ukraine, these actions are being taken in preparation for a major operation in Crimea. They serve as a trial to confirm the effectiveness of our proposed strategies for accessing and leaving the region. Additionally, it is a positive message for the community living under occupation for a decade, reassuring them that they have not been overlooked or neglected.
Source: independent.co.uk
