Russian strike on Odesa kills three as Ukraine launches massive drone attack on Moscow
A Russian attack on an infrastructure facility in Odesa killed at least three people and injured three others, while Ukraine's overnight drone barrage on Moscow wounded 10. Ukraine's top military leadership denies reports of army chief Syrskyi's dismissal.
Russian forces attacked an infrastructure facility in the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa on Monday, killing at least three people and injuring three others, a city official said, as reported by Reuters.
Meanwhile, Ukraine struck Moscow with hundreds of drones overnight, wounding at least ten people. The attacks come as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy continues behind-the-scenes talks to defuse a political crisis triggered by his decision to oust a popular defence minister last week.
Ukraine's top military leadership has denied reports that the country's commander-in-chief, Col Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, is to be sacked. In a Facebook post, it said such claims were untrue and that Syrskyi continues his duties. Presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn urged caution regarding information circulated by media.
Zelenskyy congratulated Andy Burnham on his appointment as the new British prime minister, saying Britain has always been a global leader and expressing readiness to cooperate. Burnham pledged that Britain's support for Ukraine would be "no change" and that he would support Zelenskyy 100%.
Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Russia had expelled an Italian military attache and one of his aides from Moscow "without cause," calling it a blatant act of retaliation for Italy's expulsion of two Russian military attaches caught spying.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced plans to ask Judit Polgár, widely considered the greatest female chess player of all time, to take on the largely ceremonial role of president. Magyar said he would meet Polgár to discuss the matter.
Separately, Hungary's government announced an investigation into a large foreign investment by Chinese automaker BYD, negotiated by former foreign minister Péter Szijjártó, who resigned from parliament to take an executive position at the company. Prime Minister Magyar said the probe would examine all subsidies, tax breaks, and state investments given to BYD.
Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas warned that Russia sees the Baltic countries and Poland as possible next targets as it looks for "a new escalation" amid the stalling war in Ukraine.
