Nearly 300,000 people in Ukrainian city of Odesa without power or water after Russian drone strikes – Europe live | Ukraine
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Hello Taz Ali, we’re here to bring you the latest news on our Europe live blog.
Hundreds of thousands of people in the city of Odesa in southern Ukraine were deprived of electricity and water supplies. After Russia launched a large-scale overnight drone attack, according to local officials. While nearly 300 thousand people were affected by the power outage, it was reported that 1 person was injured.
was part of something Widespread attack targeting energy infrastructure across the country In cities including the capital Kyiv And Dnipro An official said it was in southeastern Ukraine.
“Hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles targeted energy systems, depriving people of electricity, heating and water.” Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andrii Sybihahe said on social media. He added that a toddler and a four-year-old child were among those injured in last night’s attack.
While diplomatic efforts to end the war continued, Russia continued its attacks on Ukraine aimed at weakening the country’s energy systems, especially in the middle of winter.
Meanwhile, EU leaders are meeting at a castle in Belgium today to brainstorm how they can compete with the United States and China and transform the bloc into a major economic power. They are not expected to make any decisions at the informal summit at Alden Biesen Castle, but the talks could give some indication of how the 27 member states plan to strengthen the single market, reduce Europe’s dependence on external powers and make the EU more competitive.
We will also bring you the latest on the flooding and devastation in Portugal and other parts of Europe following a succession of deadly winter storms.. This led to the resignation of Portuguese interior minister Maria Lúcia Amaral due to criticism of her government’s response to air disasters.
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EU leaders head to Belgian castle for talks
Jennifer Rankin
far from Ukraine, EU leaders are meeting this morning in the idyllic surroundings of the Alden Biesen castle in Belgium’s eastern countryside for a summit dedicated to economic recovery in the face of Donald Trump’s tariff threats and fierce competition from China.
Founded by the Teutonic Knights in the 13th century, the venue was chosen because it offered leaders a change of scenery. In EU parlance, the summit is an informal meeting, that is, a brainstorming session, rather than a day where big decisions will be made.
Readers may wonder why the 27 EU leaders meeting in Belgium cannot meet in the European building in Brussels, built specifically for EU summits.
For EU officials who are missing the point of what European Council President António Costa describes as a retreat.
A senior EU official said the relocation would be beneficial.
“Why do they feel the need to go to Alden Biesen or a different, more secluded environment? Because we’ve found that it’s helpful to create the environment for just those kinds of discussions. And we’ve found that those discussions are very helpful in our decision-making process.”
In February 2025, EU leaders held their first summit dedicated to defense at the Palais d’Egmont in Brussels – where Prime Minister Keir Starmer was also a guest. The meeting paved the way for the €800bn (about £697bn) ReArm Europe plan a month later.
Photos: Russian drone attack caused hell in Odessa
We have some footage from news channels showing the fires that engulfed parts of Odesa in southern Ukraine last night and the aftermath. Local officials said the Russian attack damaged residential buildings and markets in the city.
Ukrainian athlete disqualified from skeleton due to helmet racket
Our sports team has the latest developments The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided to ban Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych from competing in the Winter Olympics because he wore a helmet in memory of Ukrainian athletes who died in the war with Russia.
Helmets depicting the faces of Ukrainian athletes and coaches killed in the war will not be allowed into competitions, the IOC said, citing a rule against making political statements at Olympic venues and venues.
The IOC said in a statement that a last-minute request for “any compromise” had been made on Thursday, but this had failed. The IOC suggested he wear a black armband to commemorate the athletes who died during the race, but the 26-year-old refused.
Follow our live coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics to get the latest on this story:
morning opening
Hello Taz Ali, we’re here to bring you the latest news on our Europe live blog.
Hundreds of thousands of people in the city of Odesa in southern Ukraine were deprived of electricity and water supplies. After Russia launched a large-scale overnight drone attack, according to local officials. While nearly 300 thousand people were affected by the power outage, it was reported that 1 person was injured.
was part of something Widespread attack targeting energy infrastructure across the country In cities including the capital Kyiv And Dnipro An official said it was in southeastern Ukraine.
“Hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles targeted energy systems, depriving people of electricity, heating and water.” Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andrii Sybihahe said on social media. He added that a toddler and a four-year-old child were among those injured in last night’s attack.
While diplomatic efforts to end the war continued, Russia continued its attacks on Ukraine aimed at weakening the country’s energy systems, especially in the middle of winter.
Meanwhile, EU leaders are meeting at a castle in Belgium today to brainstorm how they can compete with the United States and China and transform the bloc into a major economic power. They are not expected to make any decisions at the informal summit at Alden Biesen Castle, but the talks could give some indication of how the 27 member states plan to strengthen the single market, reduce Europe’s dependence on external powers and make the EU more competitive.
We will also bring you the latest on the flooding and devastation in Portugal and other parts of Europe following a succession of deadly winter storms.. This led to the resignation of Portuguese interior minister Maria Lúcia Amaral due to criticism of her government’s response to air disasters.
