Ukraine’s Military Says It Shot Down 18 Russian Drones Overnight

A view shows semi-trucks destroyed during a Russian drone strike near Ukraine-Romania border, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa region, Ukraine October 2, 2024. (Reuters)
A view shows semi-trucks destroyed during a Russian drone strike near Ukraine-Romania border, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa region, Ukraine October 2, 2024. (Reuters)
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Ukraine’s Military Says It Shot Down 18 Russian Drones Overnight

A view shows semi-trucks destroyed during a Russian drone strike near Ukraine-Romania border, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa region, Ukraine October 2, 2024. (Reuters)
A view shows semi-trucks destroyed during a Russian drone strike near Ukraine-Romania border, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa region, Ukraine October 2, 2024. (Reuters)

Russia launched two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 19 drones in an overnight attack, Ukraine's military said on Tuesday, but the air force shot down 18 drones, and the last returned to Russian territory.

Russian forces used drones and missiles in the attack on the southern region of Odesa, the air force said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.

Odesa regional governor Oleh Kiper said the drone attack on the city of Chornomorsk caused fires on three floors of an apartment building but there were no casualties.

It also set off a fire, now extinguished, at an administrative and production building in Odesa district, he added, while one drone fell in an open area without detonating.

A Russian missile also hit a Palau-flagged vessel in Odesa port on Monday, killing a Ukrainian national and injuring five crew members in the second such attack in as many days, officials said.



German Christmas Market Attacker Asked about Whereabouts of Saudi Ambassador

People mourn at the mourning site in front of St. John's Church following a vehicle-ramming attack on the Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, 22 December 2024.  EPA/FILIP SINGER
People mourn at the mourning site in front of St. John's Church following a vehicle-ramming attack on the Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, 22 December 2024. EPA/FILIP SINGER
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German Christmas Market Attacker Asked about Whereabouts of Saudi Ambassador

People mourn at the mourning site in front of St. John's Church following a vehicle-ramming attack on the Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, 22 December 2024.  EPA/FILIP SINGER
People mourn at the mourning site in front of St. John's Church following a vehicle-ramming attack on the Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, 22 December 2024. EPA/FILIP SINGER

The perpetrator who drove a car at speed through a Christmas market in the city of Magdeburg, Germany, has reportedly offered a reward in return for information about the whereabouts of the Saudi ambassador to Germany, a source told Independent Arabia on Sunday.
The source said that the attacker, Taleb al-Abd al-Mohsen, had offered a SAR 10,000 (equivalent to 2662 euros) in reward for anyone who provides information pertaining to the residence of the Saudi ambassador to Germany, and the timing of his presence.
The Saudi embassy had informed the German authorities about the threat, said the source but the latter “did not take the matter seriously”, he stated.
On Friday, Taleb al-Abd al-Mohsen drove a car at speed through a Christmas market in Germany, killing four women ranging in age from 45 to 75, as well as a 9-year-old boy and injuring 200, including 41 in serious condition.
The police apprehended the perpetrator at the scene of the attack. He is a doctor who had fled Saudi Arabia, where he was wanted on criminal charges. He had been residing in Germany for two decades.
Saudi Arabia condemned the ramming attack and expressed solidarity with the people of Germany.
A Saudi source told Reuters that Saudi Arabia had warned the German authorities about the suspect who appears to have been an active user of the social media platform X, sharing extremist tweets and retweets daily.
In 2023 and 2024, Germany received warnings about the man from Saudi authorities, a German source affirmed.