KYIV: The sound of a large explosion reverberated around the Ukrainian port of Odesa as President Volodymyr Zelensky and Greece’s PM ended a tour of the war-ravaged city on Wednesday.
Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the delegations were getting into their vehicles when they heard the blast, which he called a “vivid reminder” Odesa is gripped by the war with Russia. It is one thing to hear about the war and “quite another to experience war firsthand,” Mitsotakis said.
Zelensky said the blast caused an unknown number of dead and wounded. “You see who we’re dealing with, they don’t care where to hit,” he said.
Zelensky has regularly visited cities and military units on the front line during the war, always in secrecy until after he has left. Foreign leaders have made numerous trips to Ukraine, and they occasionally have had to take refuge in shelters when air raid sirens sound.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned on Xthe “vile attack” during the Greek visit.