site.btaStrong Explosions Heard in Odesa as City Targeted by Drones from Black Sea

Strong explosions were heard in Odesa in the early hours of Tuesday as the city is under attack by drones launched from the Black Sea, local Telegram channels reported.

According to the same sources, drones have also been directed towards the region in the direction of Zatoka, near the town of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi.

Regional authorities are urging residents to take shelter in bomb shelters.

An air raid alert has been declared across Odesa Region, with sirens activated at 3:29 AM on Tuesday. 

Bulgarians in Odesa Region number more than 150,000 and were the third largest population group in Ukraine in 2001, according to the official census. About 50,000 - 60,000 Bulgarians live in the city of Odesa itself. The largest compact Bulgarian population is concentrated in the Bolhrad, Izmail and Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi districts.