What happened in the last few hours

Here are the most important news as of 1:00 p.m. on the 511th day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine:

Ukraine denounces an “infernal” Russian attack against the port city of Odessa. The Ukrainian authorities denounced this Wednesday a new Russian air attack against the port city of Odessa, in the south of the country, for the second consecutive night. Local military administration spokesman Serhiy Bratchuk described the attack as “hellish” due to its intensity in a message posted on the Telegram platform.

Biden spars with papal envoy over Vatican mediation efforts. US President Joe Biden discussed with Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi on Tuesday the Vatican’s mediation efforts in the war in Ukraine. Zuppi, Pope Francis’ special envoy to deal with the situation in Eastern Europe, visited the White House, where he explained to the US President the initiatives of the Holy See to provide humanitarian aid to the region and the Vatican’s interest in “the return of Ukrainian miners who have been forcibly displaced” by the war.

Fighting is intensifying near the Dnieper River, according to the UK. Fighting near the Dnieper River has intensified since the start of the month, according to the latest report from British intelligence, released on Wednesday. “Both sides use small, fast motorboats and Ukraine has successfully used one-way tactical drones to destroy some Russian vessels,” London said.

Zelensky accuses Moscow of attacking the grain deal with the bombing of Odessa. Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky has accused Moscow of “deliberately” targeting Ukraine’s grain export infrastructure with its two consecutive bombings on the port of Odessa. His adviser, Mijailo Podoliak, said the two attacks endanger “food security” because they hit grain terminals.