site.btaMissile Attack Targets Odesa, Powerful Explosions Heard in City Centre

Odesa came under a missile attack on Wednesday, with powerful explosions heard in the city centre, local Telegram channels reported.

Three missiles launched from the Black Sea exploded over the Ukrainian Black Sea city at 6:04 p.m. local time, the channels said.

Regional authorities urged all residents to take shelter in bomb shelters as the air raid alert remained in effect. Reports said that targets had been hit.

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. The largest compact Bulgarian population is concentrated in the Bolhrad, Izmail and Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi districts.