Today, December 18, 2025, a Russian drone struck a civilian car traveling on a bridge in the Odesa region. The incident occurred near the village of Mayaky, reported Odesa regional administration head Oleh Kiper on his Telegram channel.
A woman and her three children were traveling in the car. Unfortunately, the mother sustained severe injuries and died in the ambulance. The children were taken to the hospital with physical injuries and severe stress, and are currently receiving necessary medical assistance.
Region head Oleh Kiper noted that Russia continues to commit war crimes by striking peaceful populations. He urged drivers to avoid traveling through the bridge in the Dniester estuary area, as this road section has already been attacked three times. Currently, traffic on the Odesa-Reni highway is temporarily halted in both directions.
The incident has caused significant disruptions in transportation since the road through Mayaky was the only route connecting Odesa with the south of the region, especially after the closure of the bridge in Zatoka. The Moldovan border police were forced to close the Palanca - Mayaky-Udobne and Tudora - Starokazache checkpoints, as the drone strike took place directly at the border with Moldova.
Border guards warned of queues forming on roads toward Moldova and Romania and urged avoiding travel through these checkpoints.
Efforts are underway to assess the damages inflicted and eliminate dangers to restore the safety and passage on the route.
