Russian Missile Strikes Ukraine’s Odesa Port During Zelenskiy and Greek PM Visit

On Wednesday (March 6), the Black Sea port of Odesa in Ukraine was hit by a Russian missile while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis were present. The attack took place at an alarming 500 to 800 meters from the visiting delegations, bringing them dangerously close to the strike.

Although a video released by Ukraine's presidential press service captured the leaders' meeting at the port, it did not include footage of the actual blast. The Ukrainian air force had earlier issued a warning about a ballistic missile threat in the region, but no official reports were available until the press conference held after the leaders inspected the port and Ukraine's maritime export humanitarian corridor.

Tragically, the strike resulted in the loss of five lives, as confirmed by a Ukrainian navy spokesperson. Mitsotakis, visiting Ukraine for the first time since Russia's invasion in February 2022, shared that during their tour, the delegation heard sirens and a significant explosion as they were heading towards their cars.

The Russian Defence Ministry justified the attack, claiming its troops targeted a hangar housing Ukrainian naval drones in the port, stating that "the goal has been achieved."

Odesa's port infrastructure has been a consistent target for Russian attacks, intensifying since mid-July when Moscow abandoned a U.N.-brokered deal allowing safe passage for Ukrainian grain shipments. In response, Kyiv established its own export corridor. The Ukrainian navy commander revealed that Russia has launched over 880 attack drones and more than 170 missiles on Odesa region port infrastructure since then.