Russia has stepped up its attacks on southern Ukraine's Odesa region, causing serious damage and power outages. About 120,000 people lost electricity after strikes on Sunday night. A fire broke out at a large port, destroying many containers holding flour and vegetable oil. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said Moscow is carrying out "systematic" attacks on Odesa. President Volodymyr Zelensky stated these strikes aim to block Ukraine's access to maritime logistics. Earlier in December, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to cut Ukraine's sea access in response to drone attacks on Russian tankers called the "shadow fleet." This fleet helps Russia avoid Western sanctions. Recently, a missile strike on Odesa’s Pivdenniy port killed eight people and injured at least 30. Another attack killed a woman traveling with her children and temporarily closed the only bridge linking Ukraine and Moldova. Following these events, Zelensky announced the upcoming replacement of the regional air force commander after Dmytro Karpenko's dismissal. Odesa is Ukraine's third largest city and its port is crucial for the economy. With other ports blocked due to Russian control, Odesa is key for exporting wheat and corn, vital for Ukraine's economy. Since August 2023, it serves as the start of a corridor allowing grain exports through Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey. Zelensky warned, "everyone must see that without pressure on Russia, they have no intention of genuinely ending their aggression." Meanwhile, US-led talks on peace ended in Miami with hopeful but unclear results. US envoy Steve Witkoff and Ukraine’s Rustem Umerov worked on a 20-point peace plan alternative to a Russian-favored proposal from November. However, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said changes would not advance peace. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov accused the EU of trying to block Russia-US agreements and said Europe fears a Russian attack. Russia is willing to legally declare it won’t attack the EU or NATO, echoing Putin’s words: "We've never planned to [attack Europe], but if they want to hear it from us, well, let's do it, we'll put it in writing."