Russia launches massive attack on Ukraine's Odesa, injuring six

Russia launched a massive attack on the Odesa region in Ukraine overnight on Wednesday, injuring at least six people, including three children.

The strikes hit residential, logistical and energy infrastructure. The attack sparked fires, forcing residents to evacuate. Firefighters rescued eight people, including one child.

The State Emergency Service and the National Police were on site to offer assistance. The fire also damaged several multi-story residential buildings and nearby automobiles.

Three civilians were killed and four were injured in the eastern Donetsk region, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin. Another civilian was killed in the Russian shelling of the Kharkiv region, regional authorities reported.

In Zaporizhzhia, Russia struck civilian targets, killing one and injuring three, Governor Ivan Fedorov said. In Sumy, Russian shelling killed one person, while another nine people were injured in attacks on other parts of Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces intercepted 101 of the 127 drones launched by Russia overnight, according to Ukraine's Air Force.

Meanwhile, leaders from Europe and Canada held talks on Tuesday on US-led peace efforts to end Russia's nearly four-year war in Ukraine.

The virtual meeting included European leaders as well as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, heads of European institutions and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, according to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

“Peace is on the horizon,” Tusk told a Polish cabinet meeting on Tuesday, but "it is still far from a 100% certainty.”

Zelenskyy on Tuesday announced plans for upcoming meetings with officials from about 30 countries, dubbed the "Coalition of the Willing".

National security advisers from those countries aim to meet in Ukraine on 3 January, followed by a meeting of the countries’ leaders on 6 January in France, he said on social media.

Zelenskyy thanked Trump administration officials for their readiness to participate but provided no further details.

“We are moving the peace process forward," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who attended Tuesday's talks, said in a post on X. "Transparency and honesty are now required from everyone — including Russia.”