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TRANSCRIPT:
The latest victims of war in Ukraine are civilians: a 30 year old mother and her two year old toddler, along with another woman, killed in Russian drone strikes on Odessa.
The tragedy was the result of a drone offensive on the port city, which saw residential buildings struck and some destroyed.
This neighbour rushed home when she saw a cloud of smoke hanging over her building.
"I came over here and was told that a man had been killed and a woman injured. I quickly went up to my apartment and started dialling the number (of the dead woman), as she lived nearby on the ground floor of a building. I started calling, but it was busy. Then it went through, and a man asked, 'Who are you calling?' I said, 'I’m calling Nadya.' And he said, 'She’s been killed."
Ukraine has launched its own attacks on Russian ports in the Black Sea - which local authorities say injured eight people, including two children.
First deputy head of Luhansk regional government Yuri Govtvin says a group of miners were trapped underground at the Bilorichenska coal mine after a Ukrainian strike led to a power cut.
"Another cowardly attack by Ukraine happened on the (power) substation of the Bilorichenska coal mine. The coal mine is completely de-energised. 41 miners stay down in the mine at the moment. We have managed to lift them to a safe depth, the connection with miners is stably established."
As the world faces an energy crisis brought by another war in the Middle East - Ukraine is ramping up its offensive on Russia's oil production.
Overnight the Ukrainian military struck a Russian warship in the port of Novorossiysk as well as a drilling rig in the Black Sea near occupied Crimea.
The onslaught comes as Russia enjoys temporary reprieve from sanctions - granted by the US government to ease global oil supply issues.
Renmin University of China strategy expert, Diao Daming, has voiced concerns over the US decision making around the issue of fuel supply, saying oil is being used as leverage in international conflicts.
"Some of those close to Donald Trump or with close ties to his camp appear to be taking advantage of the market fluctuations to profit from them. This gives an impression that what should be a major decision affecting global economic stability and regional security has instead turned into a gambling game. The so-called decision-making totally disregarded America's interests or global security."
Meanwhile, the Kremlin is accusing Ukraine of planting explosives near a pipeline that carries Russian gas to Hungary.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban convened an emergency defence council in response to the incident at the Turkstream pipeline, saying Ukraine has sought to cut Europe off from Russian energy for years
The leader stopped short of blaming Ukraine for compromising what he's described as the umbilical cord of Hungary, saying he would not accuse Ukraine of the damage without the facts.
"However, it is undoubtedly true that what we are experiencing here now fits into a series of events, since the Ukrainians have such an ability and are willing and able to do something like this."
Ukraine President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia has launched 2,800 attack drones, nearly 1350 powerful glide bombs and more than 40 missiles of various types in the past week - and he is ready to talk.
Mr Zelenskyy has an offer to end the conflict - and he wants Kremlin representatives to come back to the negotiating table.
"If Russia is ready to stop strikes on our energy infrastructure, we will be ready to respond in kind. This proposal has been conveyed to the Russian side through the Americans. We are also working very concretely right now on documents with the American side. As agreed, Ukraine is preparing its proposals – strengthening the document on security guarantees."
Vladimir Putin's government recently announced it has paused negotiations with Ukraine for a ceasefire, to focus on the US and Israel's war with ally, Iran.
But that conflict has created even greater urgency for Ukraine, with President Zelenskyy now worried war with Iran is draining stockpiles of weapons held by allies.
These include weapons Ukraine need to defend itself, particularly American-made Patriot air defence systems that can stop missiles.
