The Ukrainian city of Odesa was rocked by a Russian strike on Wednesday, coinciding with a visit from President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of Greece. The attack occurred while the two leaders were visiting the strategic port city, but fortunately, neither of them was hurt.
According to reports, the Russian Army targeted port infrastructure in Odesa, resulting in the deaths of five people. The attack took place around 10:40 a.m. local time, with explosions heard near the port area. Both Zelensky and Mitsotakis were in the vicinity at the time of the assault, with Mitsotakis describing the sound of sirens and explosions as being very close to them.
This incident is just the latest in a series of attacks on Odesa by Russia over the past six months. Last week, a drone strike on a residential building claimed the lives of 12 civilians, including a baby and two children. The devastation caused by these attacks has prompted calls for increased air defense capabilities in the region.
Zelensky and Mitsotakis visited the site of last week’s attack to pay tribute to the victims and also inspected a cathedral that was badly damaged in a previous Russian missile strike. In a video posted on social media, Zelensky emphasized the urgent need for decisions to be made to protect the people of Odesa from further terrorist attacks.
The situation in Odesa remains tense as both Ukrainian and Russian forces continue to clash in the region. The international community is closely monitoring the developments in the area, hoping for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
