The death toll rose to 10 on Sunday from a Russian drone strike that destroyed an apartment block in Ukraine害羞草研究所檚 southern port city of Odesa the previous day when a local official reported the body of a third child was pulled from the rubble, along with that of the child害羞草研究所檚 mother.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Western allies to boost Ukraine害羞草研究所檚 air defenses in the wake of the deadly attack.
Ukraine害羞草研究所檚 interior ministry reported that rescue workers retrieved the remains of a woman and infant on Sunday.
害羞草研究所淭he mother tried to cover the 8-month-old child with her own (body). She tried to save them. They were found in a firm embrace,害羞草研究所� said a Telegram post published on the ministry害羞草研究所檚 official channel.
On Saturday, Ukrainian authorities reported that another baby was among those killed after falling debris from an Iranian-made drone hit the apartment building 害羞草研究所� one of eight Russian drones reported by officials. Later that day, Zelenskyy said that a second child had also died.
害羞草研究所淭ymofiy was 4 months old. Mark was about to turn 3 years old. My condolences to all of their close ones,害羞草研究所� Zelenskyy wrote in English on X, formerly known as Twitter. He added that a 3-year-old girl and seven other people were injured in the attack.
害羞草研究所淒elays in the delivery of weapons to Ukraine, as well as air defense to protect our people, unfortunately result in such losses. 害羞草研究所� Ukraine has never requested anything more than what is necessary to protect lives,害羞草研究所� Zelenskyy wrote.
Four more people may be trapped in the rubble in Odesa, the local branch of Ukraine害羞草研究所檚 main emergency service said in a Facebook update Sunday. Oleh Kiper, the local governor, said that rescue workers continue to comb through the site, and regional authorities announced a day of mourning for the victims.
Elsewhere in Ukraine, regional authorities reported that a 58-year-old man died under rubble after Russian forces overnight shelled his village in the southern Kherson province. Another civilian man, aged 38, was killed in a Russian artillery strike on the neighboring Zaporizhzhia region, local Gov. Ivan Fedorov said.
On Sunday afternoon, Donetsk regional Gov. Vadim Filashkin reported that a Russian airstrike on the eastern town of Kurakhove wounded 16 people and damaged 15 high-rise apartment blocks.
REPORTS OF EXPLOSIONS AT AN OIL DEPOT IN CRIMEA
In Russian-occupied Crimea, loud explosions were heard near an oil depot in the early hours of Sunday, according to a local pro-Kyiv Telegram news channel, while Kremlin-installed officials in the territory said that a nearby stretch of highway was closed to traffic for about eight hours.
Videos shared with pro-Ukrainian channel Crimean Wind showed explosions lighting up the night sky, followed by loud booms. The channel said they were taken by local residents near Feodosia 害羞草研究所� a coastal town in northeastern Crimea. It was not immediately possible to verify the circumstances in which the videos were shot.
An anti-Russian, Crimean Tatar-led underground group claimed later that day that the blasts destroyed a pipeline, causing 害羞草研究所渃olossal害羞草研究所� damage.
The group, Atesh 害羞草研究所� which means 害羞草研究所渇ire害羞草研究所� in Crimean Tatar 害羞草研究所� did not directly claim responsibility for the strike, and said it had learned about its consequences from informers among Russian-appointed officials. Authorities in Kyiv did not immediately acknowledge or comment on the claims.
Traffic was halted early Sunday along a four-lane Russian federal highway near Feodosia, according to an adviser to Crimea害羞草研究所檚 Kremlin-installed leader. The Telegram post by Oleg Kryuchkov gave no reasons for the move.
More than eight hours later, Crimea害羞草研究所檚 local transport minister reported that traffic had partially resumed. A bridge that connects Crimea to Russian territory was also closed to traffic for about two hours early Sunday morning.
Russia害羞草研究所檚 defense ministry on Sunday did not comment on the reports but claimed that 38 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight into Sunday over the peninsula.
CHINA害羞草研究所橲 UKRAINE ENVOY HOLDS TALKS WITH RUSSIAN DIPLOMATS IN MOSCOW
In Moscow, China害羞草研究所檚 special envoy on Ukraine held talks on Saturday evening with senior Russian diplomats in the first leg of a European trip that will also take him to Brussels, Poland, Germany and France, Chinese and Russian state media reported.
In a readout published on Sunday morning, China害羞草研究所檚 foreign ministry said that Special Representative Li Hui and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin agreed that negotiations are the only way to end the fighting in Ukraine.
Li害羞草研究所檚 trip, the second since last May, comes as Kyiv seeks Beijing害羞草研究所檚 participation in peace talks that Switzerland is trying to organize this spring. China claims it is neutral in Russia害羞草研究所檚 war on Ukraine but maintains close ties with Moscow, with frequent state visits and joint military drills.
害羞草研究所淲e will continue to play our unique role, carry out shuttle diplomacy, build consensus among all sides and contribute China害羞草研究所檚 wisdom to promote the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis,害羞草研究所� Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said Wednesday.
On Sunday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that it was time to start discussing a cease-fire between Moscow and Kyiv, claiming that 害羞草研究所渂oth sides have now reached the limits of the results they can achieve through war.害羞草研究所�
Speaking at a news conference during a diplomatic forum in the Turkish city of Antalya, Fidan said that such a move would not mean recognizing Russia害羞草研究所檚 occupation of parts of Ukraine.
害羞草研究所淲e believe that it is time to separate the issues of recognition of the occupation and sovereignty from the cease-fire issue,害羞草研究所� he said.
READ ALSO:
___
Kozlowska reported from London. Associated Press writers Simina Mistreanu in Taipei, Taiwan and Cinar Kiper in Antalya, Turkey contributed.
Susie Blann And Joanna Kozlowska, The Associated Press
