Russian drones damage vessels from Slovakia, other countries — Ukraine

Russian drone strikes hit foreign-flagged ships and infrastructure in Ukraine's Odesa and Mykolaiv ports, causing damage but no casualties, officials say. Ukraine affirms its logistics system continues to operate despite the attacks.

REUTERS

26 December 2025 at 08:26:59

Russian drone attacks hit foreign-flagged vessels and infrastructure in Ukraine’s Odesa and Mykolaiv regions, causing power cuts and logistic disruptions, says deputy PM.

Reuters

KYIV — Russian overnight drone attacks damaged Slovakia-, Palau-, and Liberia-flagged vessels in ports in Ukraine’s Odesa and Mykolaiv regions, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said on Friday.

In recent weeks, Russia has stepped up attacks on southern Ukraine, particularly in the Odesa region, as Ukrainian officials said Moscow aims to cut Ukraine off from the Black Sea and create chaos among civilians.

There were no casualties reported in Friday’s strikes, Kuleba said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app. However, the attacks caused power outages and damaged grain elevators and civilian warehouses in the Odesa region.

Separately, Kuleba added that drones also damaged a locomotive and a freight car at the northwestern Kovel railway station, located about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Poland.

“Despite Russia’s deliberate terror, Ukraine’s logistics system continues to function,” Kuleba said.

Russia has not commented on the incidents.

Reporting by Yuliia Dysa; Editing by Joe Bavier and Muralikumar Anantharaman/Reuters

Russian drone attacks hit ships and infrastructure in Ukraine's Odesa and Mykolaiv regions, causing power outages and damage to civilian warehouses, elevators, and railway equipment. Despite the strikes, Ukraine says its logistics system continues to operate.