Russia hits Ukraine’s port of Odesa during Zelenskiy and Greek PM visit

ODESA, Ukraine (Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis were visiting the Black Sea port of Odesa on Wednesday when a Russian missile hit the infrastructure, close enough for leaders to see the strike.

“It seems to me that we have not only heard, we have seen this strike today,” Zelenskiy told a joint press conference.

The attack occurred at an estimated 500 to 800 metre distance from the delegations, sources said.

“You see who we’re dealing with, they don’t care where to hit.”

The Ukrainian air force announced a ballistic missile threat in the region this morning but there were no official reports up until the press conference after leaders inspected the port and Ukraine’s humanitarian corridor for maritime exports.

The strike killed five people, a Ukrainian navy spokesperson said.

Mitsotakis, who was on his first visit to the country since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, said that during the tour the delegation heard sirens and a big explosion as they headed towards their cars.

“I believe that this is for us the most vivid reminder that there is a real war waging here,” Mitsotakis said, urging other European leaders to visit Ukraine to get a first-hand sense of the war’s impact on civilians.

The Russian Defence Ministry said its troops attacked a hangar housing Ukrainian naval drones in the port, adding that “the goal has been achieved”.

Ukraine’s Black Sea port infrastructure has been a constant target for Russian attacks, which have stepped up since mid-July when Moscow quit a U.N.-brokered deal that allowed safe passage of Ukrainian grain shipments and Kyiv established its own export corridor.

Russia has launched over 880 attack drones and over 170 missiles on Odesa region port infrastructure since, a Ukrainian navy commander said during the tour.

“No one is intimidated by this new attempt at terror – certainly not the two leaders on the ground nor the brave people of Ukraine,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on X, commenting on the attack.

CONTINUED SUPPORT

Greece, a NATO member and a traditional ally to Ukraine’s bid to join the military alliance and the European Union, has offered military help to the country.

On Wednesday’s visit, Mitsotakis confirmed Greece’s continued support.

“My presence here reflects the respect of the entire free world for your people and underlines Greece’s commitment to remain by your side,” he told Zelenskiy.

The Ukrainian leader once again stressed the importance of air defence capabilities and said countries started work on a bilateral security agreement, similar to one Kyiv has already signed with other countries.

“We discussed what other means we can use to expand the security space in the Black Sea. How we can add protection to our people – both military and civilians. We need more air defence,” Zelenskiy said.

Mitsotakis added that Greece would participate in a high-level Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland.

Leaders also visited a residential building – the site of Russian drone attack on Saturday that killed 12 people, including five children.

(Reporting by Iryna Nazarchuk and Renee Maltezou; Writing by Angeliki Koutantou, Yuliia Dysa; Editing by Toby Chopra, Alex Richardson and Josie Kao)