Tit-for-Tat Strikes Ravage Black Sea Cities as Ceasefire Talks Collapse in Istanbul

by Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff

(Worthy News) – Hours after ceasefire negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations broke down once again in Istanbul, both sides launched punishing strikes on each other’s resort cities along the Black Sea, escalating a war now deep into its fourth year.

In the early hours of Thursday morning, the Ukrainian military reportedly carried out a drone assault on the Russian resort city of Sochi between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m., killing one person and injuring another, according to The Kyiv Independent. The Ukrainian military has not confirmed the attack, but regional Russian authorities reported that an oil depot in the Krasnodar Krai region was also hit, with damage assessments still ongoing.

Sochi, a jewel of Russia’s Black Sea coastline and home to elite vacation properties and former Soviet leadership retreats, was previously considered relatively shielded from the frontlines. One of its most infamous structures, a Soviet-era palace reportedly used by President Vladimir Putin during the COVID pandemic, was quietly demolished last year amid fears of a targeted Ukrainian strike.

Russia wasted no time retaliating. A volley of missiles and drones struck Ukraine’s port city of Odesa in what emergency responders described as “another hellish night.” A nine-story residential building was hit, with floors 5 through 8 left in ruins. Emergency services evacuated 38 people, including five who were trapped in their apartments, and at least four were injured.

“Overnight, Russian forces launched a massive attack on Odesa,” Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense posted on X. “As a result, one of the city’s most iconic landmarks, the Pryvoz Market, caught fire. Civilian targets–including a two-story building, a gas station, and a UNESCO-protected monument–were also damaged. Once again, Russians target civilian cities–there is zero military gain from these strikes.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that dozens more civilians, including children, were wounded in the northeastern city of Kharkiv following Russian glide bomb attacks. “These are utterly senseless strikes with no military purpose whatsoever,” Zelenskyy said. “Russia’s only intention is to continue aggression and killings.”

The attacks came on the heels of yet another failed round of ceasefire talks in Istanbul. Delegations from both nations met at the historic Ciragan Palace in Turkey with hopes of laying the groundwork for peace. According to a Turkish foreign ministry source, Ukraine came prepared “to take significant steps toward peace and a full ceasefire,” but the talks stalled as Russia refused to engage constructively.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov downplayed expectations, warning reporters, “We intend to pursue our interests… and fulfill the tasks that we set for ourselves from the very beginning.”

Zelenskyy, meanwhile, took to X to condemn Russia’s behavior during and after the talks, listing fresh strikes across multiple regions, including Cherkasy, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Sumy, Mykolaiv, and Kharkiv. He reported that Russian forces launched 103 Iranian-made Shahed drones and four missiles overnight.

Despite the Ukrainian delegation’s repeated efforts to secure a direct meeting between Zelenskyy and President Putin, the Russian leader has shown no interest. He has dismissed Zelenskyy as illegitimate due to Ukraine’s decision to delay elections under martial law. He insists that any peace deal must include Ukrainian demilitarization and recognition of Russia’s hold on occupied territories.

Putin has also brushed aside President Donald Trump’s ultimatum issued last week. Trump gave the Kremlin 50 days to reach a ceasefire or face heavy secondary sanctions. He also pledged to back Ukraine with billions of dollars in NATO-supplied weaponry should Russia continue its drone and missile onslaught.

While Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal met with NATO officials this week to push for expanded defense systems and weapons manufacturing, the ongoing devastation in Odesa, Kharkiv, and other cities underscores Kyiv’s urgent need for immediate air defense support.

For now, the war grinds on–diplomatic efforts overshadowed by exploding drones, burning markets, and shattered homes on both sides of the Black Sea.

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