Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias is expected to arrive in the strategic port of Odesa, Ukraine on Sunday as Russian forces have launched airstrikes at the city.
Dendias will deliver humanitarian aid, meet members of the Greek Diaspora and assess the condition of premises inextricably linked with Greek history, such as the Museum of the Filiki Etairia, a statement said.
The visit of Dendias comes as explosions were heard in Odesa on Sunday morning.
Anton Herashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s interior minister, has confirmed on his Telegram channel that “Odesa was attacked from the air” by missiles, some of which he says were “were shot down by air defense”.
An AFP news wire reporter heard explosions in the port city at 06:00 local time, followed by at least three thick columns of smoke and flames visible in an apparently industrial area.
The target of the strike has not yet been confirmed.
ITV News Correspondent John Ray, reporting from the city, said the target appears to have been a fuel storage depot. “Clearly we’re a long way from Russian troops, but not Russian airpower which has Odesa well within range.
“This city, on the Black Sea, is of vital strategic importance to the Russians and the Ukrainians – it is Ukraine’s main link, from a maritime point of view, with the outside world”.
