The Ukrainian Air Force had previously warned via the Telegram application of attacks by drones and cruise missiles. Local authorities called on residents of the coastal city and the region to reach safety and not leave shelters prematurely. During the night, a makeshift air raid siren sounded across Ukraine.
Mark Deemsmaker, N-VA senator, is currently in Ukraine on a humanitarian mission with a group of parliamentarians. He arrived in Odessa last night, at the same time as the attack.
There was almost no time to take cover: “It was very loud, and we were sitting close to it. Most of the people were of course in shelters. We were on our way. Of course we also stopped and tried to stop before continuing our walk.” Journey to the centre. “Under normal circumstances you would go to the shelter, but that was not possible.”
The Russian army regularly attacks Odessa. The Black Sea city has important port infrastructure, including grain export. The river ports on the Danube, located to the southwest and close to the Romanian border, are also a regular target of Russian attacks.
