Explosions rang out in Ukraine’s southern port city of Odesa on Wednesday during a visit to the Black Sea hub by President Volodymyr Zelensky and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the pair told reporters.
Greece has heavily criticised Russia’s invasion and has provided humanitarian aid and weapons including infantry fighting vehicles, Kalashnikov assault rifles, launchers and ammunition to Kyiv.
“We heard the sound of sirens and explosions that took place near us. We did not have time to get to a shelter,” Mitsotakis said according to an official Ukrainian translation. “It is a very intense experience… It’s really different to read about the war in newspapers, and to hear it with your own ears, see it with your own eyes,” he added.
Zelensky said the strike had left “dead and wounded”, but he did not have figures. “You can see who we are facing. They don’t care where they strike,” he said in a joint press conference. Both were visiting the southern port city of Odesa, which has been under renewed fire ever since Russia exited an agreement protecting Ukrainian exports via the Black Sea in summer 2023.
During the trip, Zelensky had explained “the importance of the port and what is being done to restore and strengthen the Ukrainian sea route,” Mitsotakis said. After Russia’s withdrawal from the grain deal, Ukraine put in place a protected maritime corridor to continue exports through the Black Sea by hugging the coast line, rather than traversing the open waters.
Ukraine’s Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said last week that Ukraine had exported more grain through the ports of Odesa in February than in any month since Russia invaded.
Comments
0 comment