Russia and Ukraine report overnight attacks amid US diplomatic push

Overnight attacks reported on both sides as US efforts to broker a ceasefire struggle to make progress and Europe continues to ponder its role. Russian officials reported on Friday that a swarm of about 1,200 Ukrainian drones were fired at the country, with oil infrastructure among the targets. Ukraine reported that a hospital was struck and that strikes on the port of Odesa were ongoing.

The reports show that hostilities continue unabated despite the renewed effort of United States envoys to mediate a ceasefire. Attacks in Volgograd in southern Russia killed four people as they hit an industrial area and left two others injured, regional Governor Andrei Bocharov said. Volgograd is home to a major oil refinery, which unverified video posted on social media purported to show was on fire.

There was no immediate official ⁠confirmation that the refinery had been attacked. Ukraine has concentrated its fire this year on Russia’s oil infrastructure in a bid to cut off its earnings from energy exports, which are being used to power its ongoing invasion.