Russian airstrike on Odessa, Ukraine kills 5
Greek Prime Minister: “There is no time to go to a bomb shelter”
On the 6th, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who visited Odessa, a strategic port in southern Ukraine, heard a loud explosion while traveling together in a car. A Russian missile that flew toward the port infrastructure exploded. It was only 300 meters away from the two summits. Soon a ‘mushroom cloud’ covered in smoke rose and a siren rang loudly.
The attack occurred shortly after Prime Minister Mitsotakis arrived in Odessa. Prime Minister Mitsotakis said at a press conference that day, “I heard a loud explosion when I got into the car, but there was no time to go to the shelter,” and conveyed the tense situation at the time.
Prime Minister Mitsotakis set foot on Ukrainian soil for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. He said, “Reading about the war in the newspaper is really different from hearing it with your ears and seeing it with your own eyes.” He also said, “It was a very powerful experience that reminded me that there is a war going on,” and urged European leaders to visit Ukraine to see the reality of the war.
The Ukrainian Navy announced that on this day, Russia launched an attack with about 880 unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) and 170 missiles targeting Odessa port infrastructure. According to CNN, at least five people were killed and several others were injured in the airstrike that day. Russia claimed that it did not target the two leaders, saying, “We attacked the Ukrainian naval drone hangar and the goal was achieved.” However, criticism poured in against Russia for creating a situation in which Western leaders visiting Ukraine could be in great danger.
President Zelensky said, “They (Russia) attack no matter where they are,” and called for massive additional support from the West, saying, “We need more air defense networks.” Charles Michel, the permanent chairman of the European Union (EU) Summit, who visited Odessa in May 2022 and sought shelter due to an attack by the Russian military, condemned, “This clearly shows how cowardly Russia is choosing a strategy in this war.”
Odessa is a grain export base for Ukraine, the world’s breadbasket. The main base of the Ukrainian Navy is also located here. Because of this, it has been the target of continuous attacks by Russia. On the 2nd, a residential building in the city was attacked by a Russian drone, killing at least 12 people, including 5 children.
Britain’s Financial Times (FT) and others analyzed that the reason Prime Minister Mitsotakis visited Odessa rather than the capital Kiiu was because this port is strategically important to Greece. In the 19th century, when Greece waged a war of independence against the Ottoman Turk Empire, Odessa’s Greek residents played an important role in that war. Some Greeks still remain.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.