A Russian missile exploded near Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during their visit to the crucial Black Sea port city of Odesa, underlining the acute dangers of high-level diplomacy in a war zone. The leaders were touring the port when the missile hit just 300-400 meters away, prompting air raid sirens and leaving a “mushroom cloud” of smoke, according to officials and sources close to the situation. Five individuals were reported killed in the attack.
President Zelensky, who has often made high-risk trips to front-line positions since the war’s outbreak, confirmed witnessing the strike, emphasizing the indiscriminate nature of Russian attacks. “We saw this strike today. You can see who we are dealing with, they don’t care where they strike,” Zelensky remarked, underscoring the loss of life and the imperative need for robust air defense systems.
Prime Minister Mitsotakis described the close encounter with the realities of war as a “very intense experience” and a vivid reminder of the ongoing conflict affecting both soldiers and civilians. Odesa, a pivotal hub for Ukrainian grain exports and home to its navy, has suffered extensively from Russian strikes, with a recent drone attack on a residential area resulting in multiple civilian deaths.
The timing and location of the strike have raised questions regarding the potential targeting of the two leaders. Although a source reported that it was unlikely Zelensky was the target and that the attack was part of a pattern of “terror that the enemy is carrying out quite methodically,” the proximity of the strike to a visiting NATO member state’s leader adds a layer of complexity to the incident. The Russian defense ministry claimed a strike on a “hangar in a commercial port area of Odesa in which crewless cutters were being prepared for combat use by the Ukrainian armed forces”.
The incident has prompted further calls from the Ukrainian side for increased military assistance from the West, with President Zelensky urging allies to provide more support and stressing that “the world has enough air defense systems and the ability to produce weapons for defense.” “This strike is yet another reminder of how Russia is continuing to attack Ukraine recklessly every single day and of Ukraine’s urgent needs, in particular, for air defense interceptors,” a National Security Council spokesperson said. “We again call on the House of Representatives to take action to support Ukraine so that we can provide the Ukrainian armed forces with the equipment they desperately need to defend against these outrageous Russian attacks.”
European Council President Charles Michel, who had a similar experience in May 2022 during a visit to Odesa, condemned the strike as indicative of “Russia’s cowardly tactics.” Meanwhile, the United States and other allies have reiterated their calls for more military support for Ukraine in light of the ongoing, and often indiscriminate, Russian attacks.
Relevant articles:
– Russian missile hits 300-400 meters away from Zelensky and Greek PM, president says
– Zelensky: Russian missile strike hits near Ukraine and Greek leaders in Odesa, CNN, Thu, 07 Mar 2024 09:33:00 GMT
– Missile explodes near Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s meeting with Greek prime minister: Sources, ABC News, Wed, 06 Mar 2024 20:57:59 GMT
– Ukraine’s Odesa rocked by deadly blast during a visit by Zelensky and Greek PM, FRANCE 24 English, Wed, 06 Mar 2024 18:30:49 GMT