A Russian missile that killed five people in Odessa on Wednesday narrowly missed a convoy carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
The missile landed within a third of a mile from the convoy, and the group felt the impact and saw a “mushroom cloud” of smoke rising from the scene. A source told CNN..
“We witnessed this strike today. You will see who we are dealing with, they don’t care where they attack,” Zelenskyy later said in comments from the Black Sea port city. The paper reported.
“We know there were casualties today. We don’t know the details yet, but we know there are dead and injured,” he added. “First and foremost, we need to protect ourselves. .
“The best way to do that is with air defense systems,” Zelenskiy insisted.
Ukrainian Navy spokesman Dmytro Pretenchuk later told CNN that five people were killed and several others injured in the attack.
“Right after that, when we got into the car, we heard a loud explosion,” Mitsotakis told reporters.
“For us, I think this is the most vivid reminder that there is a real war going on here. There is a war happening every day, and it doesn’t just affect the front lines and the soldiers, it affects the criminals. It also affects our fellow countrymen who don’t have it,” he said.
The prime minister added that just before he heard the air raid siren, President Zelenskiy gave him a tour of Odesa, which has been severely damaged by Russian missile onslaught over the past two years, CNN reported.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that the attack took place around 11:40 a.m. Moscow time.
“The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation launched a high-precision missile attack against a hangar in the Odesa Industrial Port area, where unmanned boats of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were being prepared for combat use. The goal of the strike was achieved. Collision with an object “I did,” the statement reads.
Just a few days earlier, a missile attack on an apartment complex in the city killed 12 people, including five children.
Zelenskiy is known for frequent visits to high-conflict areas, but Wednesday’s call may have been one of his closest yet, the newspaper said.
After Wednesday’s attack, the president continued to press foreign allies to send more aid to the military.
“The world has enough air defense systems and the ability to produce weapons for defense. We need weapons here to save lives. For those who endure terrorist attacks day and night, not someday. Solutions are needed now,” he implored.
President Zelenskiy warned just last week that Russia was preparing to launch a summer offensive.
Meanwhile, in Washington, the White House said Wednesday’s strike was further evidence of the need for President Biden’s $60 billion Ukraine aid request package, which is stuck in a monetary stalemate in Congress.
A National Security Council spokesperson told CNN: “This attack is yet another reminder of how reckless Russia continues to attack Ukraine every day, and especially of Ukraine’s urgent need for air defense interceptors.” he said.
“We reiterate our call to the House of Representatives to take action to assist Ukraine in providing its military with much-needed equipment to protect it from Russia’s outrageous attacks.”
