Russia attacks ports, energy and homes in Odesa region on New Year's Eve

Shelling of Odesa region on 1 January. Photo: Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction of Ukraine

On the first day of the new year, Russia again attacked Ukraine's infrastructure with drones. Ports and logistics facilities in Odesa region were hit.

This was announced by Oleksii Kuleba, Vice Prime Minister for Reconstruction of Ukraine, Minister of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine.

According to him, several ports in Odesa region were damaged as a result of the night attack. In Izmail, damage to berths and equipment was recorded. In the port of Odesa, drone debris and a blast wave damaged equipment, vehicles and some infrastructure facilities.

Shelling of Odesa region on 1 January. Photo: Oleksii Kuleba, Vice Prime Minister for Reconstruction of Ukraine

Shelling of Odesa region on 1 January. Photo by Oleksii Kuleba, Vice Prime Minister for Reconstruction of Ukraine

Shelling of Odesa region on 1 January. Photo: Oleksii Kuleba, Vice Prime Minister for Reconstruction of Ukraine

Rescuers and specialised services are working on the ground. The aftermath of the shelling is being dealt with and damage is being assessed. Despite the attack, ports continue to operate, logistics and food exports have not stopped.

Shelling of Odesa region on 1 January. Photo: Oleksii Kuleba, Vice Prime Minister for Reconstruction of Ukraine

Shelling of Odesa region on 1 January. Photo: Oleksii Kuleba, Vice Prime Minister for Reconstruction of Ukraine

Shahed drones also attacked the region's logistics infrastructure. Due to the threat of repeated attacks, recovery work is complicated.

Oleksii Kuleba said that repair crews of «Ukrzaliznytsia» are eliminating the consequences of the attack. Trains were not stopped.

Separately, the head of the Odesa regional military administration reported on the consequences of the attacks. According to him, on New Year's Eve, there were several waves of drone attacks on the region's civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities and residential buildings.

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A two-storey residential building was damaged in Odesa. A drone also hit an apartment on the 17th floor of a high-rise building, without detonation. There were no casualties. All fires have been extinguished.

It should be noted that the day before, at midnight, Russian troops attacked energy facilities in Odesa region with drones. As a result of the strike, a fire broke out at one of the facilities, and the city experienced power outages at critical enterprises.

It should be noted that Odesa region remains one of the regions with the most difficult situation with energy supply and protection. The Russian army is trying to disable power supply facilities in the region by creating local blackout zones. This scenario could be repeated in other parts of Ukraine.

According to Yurii Korolchuk, co-founder of the Institute for Energy Strategies, an additional factor of vulnerability in Odesa region is the port infrastructure, which requires uninterrupted power supply. Exports and the operation of critical facilities depend on its operation, which puts an additional burden on the Odesa region's power system and increases its susceptibility to attacks.