Russian forces struck a civilian car crossing a bridge near Mayaky village in Odesa Oblast on 18 December, killing a mother and injuring her three children. A day later, Russian ballistic missiles slammed into port infrastructure in the same region, killing eight people and wounding 27 more—some trapped inside a bus at the strike's epicenter.
The attacks on Odesa prompted President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to announce the dismissal of Air Command "South" commander Dmytro Karpenko and triggered border closures by Moldova, which shut the Palanka-Mayaky-Udobne crossing. Analysts say the destruction of the Mayaky bridge could deprive Ukraine of 60% of its fuel imports.
Russian drone strike on Mayaky bridge kills civilian
The drone attack struck a civilian car crossing the bridge over the Dniester on 18 December, Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper wrote on Telegram. The woman suffered severe injuries and died in the ambulance. Her three children were hospitalized with injuries and acute stress reactions.
Kiper noted that Russian forces had already attacked the same bridge location three times before. The M-15 Odesa-Reni highway was temporarily closed in both directions, though traffic resumed by the following day.
The Mayaky bridge serves as a critical link between Odesa and Ukraine's Danube ports, which have become increasingly important for Ukrainian exports since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Russian missile strike on Odesa port kills eight
Late on 19 December, Russian ballistic missiles hit port infrastructure in southern Odesa Oblast. Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported that some of the 27 wounded were on a bus caught at the epicenter of the attack. Trucks caught fire in a nearby parking lot.
The strike on Odesa port came as Kremlin envoys traveled to Florida for peace talks with the Trump administration, and as Ukrainian and European negotiators held parallel meetings in Berlin and the US.
Zelenskyy fires Air Command South chief over Odesa defense failures
Speaking to journalists on 20 December, Zelenskyy announced his decision to replace Karpenko, who had commanded the southern air defenses since 2022.
"The Russians' goal is to wreak havoc, to put moral pressure on Odesans so that people do not have fuel and food," Zelenskyy said. "We will definitely fight for the logistics of each of our regions."
He added that air defense in Odesa Oblast would be strengthened. "We need to react in time, quickly, no matter how difficult it is. We need to protect people as much as possible, protect Odesa and our other regions as much as possible."
In his evening address on 21 December, Zelenskyy said Deputy Prime Minister Kuleba and Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Mykyta had been deployed to the ground, with all necessary services and military forces engaged to ensure reliable logistics with the south of Odesa Oblast.
"There is a clear understanding of all the challenges – this is Russia's attempt to block Ukraine's access to maritime logistics," Zelenskyy said. "The world must not remain silent about this."
Russia targets Ukraine's Black Sea trade corridor
The sustained Russian attacks on Odesa's maritime and transport infrastructure come less than a week after a record-breaking assault on 13-14 December left more than one million residents in the region without power, heat, or water. Those strikes prompted authorities to declare a state-level emergency.
By targeting bridges near Moldova and port facilities, Russia appears to be systematically degrading Ukraine's ability to import fuel and export goods through its Black Sea corridor. Odesa's ports handle a significant share of Ukraine's grain exports and critical imports, making them essential to both the country's wartime economy and global food security.
