Two killed in Kyiv and Odesa overnight
Russian strikes killed at least two people in Ukraine overnight into Sunday, officials said, hours after Russia’s foreign minister downplayed a German attempt to cool tensions.
In Kyiv, a man was found dead after a Russian drone hit a non‑residential building, according to Ukraine’s emergency service. Another drone struck a single‑story vehicle repair shop, and firefighters battled the resulting blaze into early Sunday, the service said.
In the south, Russian forces struck the Odesa region multiple times, killing one person and injuring two others, according to Oleh Kiper, head of the local military administration. Odesa is home to Ukraine’s main Black Sea port.
Lavrov dismisses German outreach at the U.N.
The strikes came a day after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed what was described as a rare in‑person exchange with a senior German counterpart on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Lavrov said the German official “simply reiterated his official position condemning Russia,” adding, “You can judge for yourself whether that counts as dialogue or not.”
The meeting was requested by a German official identified in the source material as Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. A German delegation official said Wadephul remained open to improving relations but made clear any thaw would require “genuine willingness” from Russia’s leadership to end the war.
Berlin–Moscow tensions and the air war
Relations between Berlin and Moscow have deteriorated in recent weeks following an attempted drone attack last month at Leipzig airport that German officials blamed on the Kremlin, according to the report.
The report also said front‑line positions have remained largely static since last year even as the aerial war intensifies. It described Russia continuing to use cruise and ballistic missiles, glide bombs, and jet‑powered drones, while Ukraine has targeted Russian oil refineries and businesses with long‑range drones.
Competing narratives
Russia continues to describe its invasion as a “special military operation” intended to secure Russia’s safety and protect Russian speakers, the report noted. It added that an overwhelming majority of U.N. member states have repeatedly condemned the invasion.
