Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday accused each other of overnight airstrikes as the two countries began a new round of peace talks mediated by the US in Geneva, Switzerland.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed in a statement that air defenses shot down 151 Ukrainian drones overnight, with 79 of them downed over the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
It later said another 27 Ukrainian drones were shot down between 7 am and 9 am Moscow time (0400-0600GMT).
A fire also broke out at the Ilsky oil refinery in the southern Krasnodar region due to the attack, covering an area of approximately 700 square meters (7,534 square feet), the regional task force said.
Separately, Sochi Mayor Andrey Proshunin said the resort city was subject to a “massive” drone attack, noting that falling debris from downed drones was reported in several areas, but there were no casualties or damage to infrastructure.
Russia’s air transport agency Rosaviatsiya said overnight restrictions were implemented at airports in cities including Sochi, Krasnodar, Nizhnekamsk, Gelendzhik, and Izhevsk, which were lifted in the morning.
In Ukraine, Serhii Lysak, head of the Odesa City Military Administration, said at least two people were injured in Russian strikes on the port city, which also damaged infrastructure and civilian buildings.
Ukrainian private energy company DTEK said energy infrastructure in the city was hit, describing the damage as “extremely serious.”
Dnipropetrovsk Governor Oleksandr Hanzha said a private enterprise, administrative buildings, houses, and cars were damaged in the region’s administrative center.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on US social media company X that “tens of thousands of people” are without heat and water supply in Odesa after the drone strike, while 12 regions were targeted in the attacks, injuring nine people.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called for further sanctions on Russia following the strikes.
The Ukrainian Air Force claimed air defenses downed 367 out of 396 drones, as well as all 25 missiles, which were launched by Russia.
Ukraine’s General Staff later confirmed targeting the Ilsky oil refinery in overnight strikes, while the Russian Defense Ministry said it launched strikes on Ukrainian military-industrial complex facilities and energy infrastructure, among others.
Separately, Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal said on X that three people were killed and one power engineer was injured on their way to Sloviansk Thermal Power Plant in the morning attack.
The claims came as a new round of peace talks involving Russia, Ukraine, and the US began in Geneva on Tuesday, and will be held over two days. The Kremlin said it will focus on territorial issues.
An initial two rounds of US-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine were held in Abu Dhabi, the capital of United Arab Emirates, in January and earlier this month.
As a result of the second round of talks on Feb. 4-5, both countries agreed to the first exchange of war prisoners in five months.
