At night, Russians attacked high-rise buildings and energy sector in Odesa: children injured, city without electricity and heat

The aftermath of the shelling of Odesa on 31 December 2025. Photo: Odesa CMA

On the night of 31 December, Russian troops attacked Odesa and the region with attack drones. The shelling left part of Odesa without electricity, water and heat. Six people were injured, including three children.

According to the head of the Odesa CMA, Serhii Lysak, Russians again attacked civilian and energy facilities in the region. The attack set fire to a logistics company's warehouses in one of the region's towns.

Drones also hit multi-storey residential buildings in two districts of Odesa. In one of the buildings, apartments caught fire, said Oleh Kiper, head of the RMA.

In the morning, it became known that the number of victims had increased to six. Among them are a 7-month-old baby, a 14-year-old boy and an 8-year-old girl, who are in moderate condition. A 42-year-old man was seriously injured. All the victims were hospitalised.

Due to the damage to the infrastructure, there is still no electricity supply in part of the city. Some critical infrastructure facilities are still undergoing repairs, leaving some residents temporarily without water and heat.

The aftermath of the shelling of Odesa on 31 December 2025. Photo: Odesa CMA

The aftermath of the shelling of Odesa on 31 December 2025. Photo: Odesa CMA

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.