site.btaDrones Attacking Odesa, Explosions Heard Across City, Head of Odesa City Military Administration Says

Drones are attacking Odesa, and explosions are being heard across the city, Serhiy Lysak, head of the Odesa City Military Administration, said on Telegram on Saturday night.

According to information from local Telegram channels, a target has been hit. Preliminary reports indicate that a residential building was struck, causing a fire to break out.

An air raid alert was issued at 8:57 p.m. local time and remains in effect. The threat of further drone attacks remains.

Regional authorities are urging all residents to hide in the bomb shelters.

Bulgarians in the 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.