Volodymyr Zelenskyy witnessed a deadly Russian missile strike just a few hundred metres away as he visited Odesa in Ukraine.
A hangar housing naval drones in the Black Sea port was hit, according to the Russian defence ministry.
Five people were killed in the attack, said a Ukrainian navy spokesperson.
President Zelenskyy was touring the war-ravaged southern city with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
The attack happened about 500 to 800 metres from where the leaders were, Reuters reported.
In a joint news conference after the strike, Mr Zelenskyy said: “It seems to me that we have not only heard, we have seen this strike today.
“You see who we’re dealing with, they don’t care where to hit.”
Mr Mitsotakis, who was on his first visit to the country since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, said that during a tour of the port and Ukraine’s humanitarian corridor, the delegation heard sirens and a big explosion as they headed towards their cars.
“I believe that this is for us the most vivid reminder that there is a real war waging here,” Mr Mitsotakis said, urging other European leaders to visit Ukraine to get a first-hand sense of the war’s impact on civilians.
The Ukrainian air force announced a ballistic missile threat in the region on Wednesday morning but there were no official reports up until the news conference after the leaders’ tour.
Mr Zelenskyy has regularly visited cities and military units on the frontline during the war, always in secrecy until after he has left.
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Foreign leaders have also made several trips to Ukraine, and they occasionally have had to take refuge in shelters when air raid sirens sound.
Ukraine’s Black Sea port infrastructure has been a constant target for Russian attacks, which have stepped up since mid-July when Moscow quit a UN-brokered deal that allowed safe passage of Ukrainian grain shipments and Kyiv established its own export corridor.
Russia has launched more than 880 attack drones and 170 missiles on Odesa’s port infrastructure since, a Ukrainian navy commander said during the tour.
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Greece, a NATO member and traditional ally to Ukraine’s bid to join the military alliance and the European Union, has offered military help to the country.
On Wednesday’s visit, Mr Mitsotakis confirmed Greece’s continued support.
“My presence here reflects the respect of the entire free world for your people and underlines Greece’s commitment to remain by your side,” he told Mr Zelenskyy.
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The Ukrainian president also stressed the importance of air defence capabilities and said the countries started work on a bilateral security agreement, similar to one Kyiv has already signed with other nations.
Mr Mitsotakis added that Greece would participate in a high-level Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland, which the host country said would take place “by the summer”.
The leaders also visited a residential building – the site of Russian drone attack on Saturday that killed 12 people, including five children.
I don’t buy this story for a second. I think it’s just propaganda from the Ukrainian government. Why would President Zelenskyy put himself in such danger? This whole thing just doesn’t add up.
This news report is very informative. It provides a detailed account of the deadly missile strike that President Zelenskyy witnessed. I’m glad that he’s safe, and I hope that this attack will not deter him from continuing his work to defend Ukraine.
I can’t believe President Zelenskyy survived this missile strike! He must have a guardian angel watching over him. Or maybe he’s just really lucky. Either way, I’m glad he’s okay.
This is outrageous! How can Russia continue to attack innocent civilians? This missile strike is a war crime, and those responsible must be held accountable. I stand with Ukraine and condemn Russia’s barbaric actions.
Wow! This is some really great news! I’m so glad to see that President Zelenskyy is safe and sound after witnessing this deadly missile strike. He’s a true leader who cares deeply about his people. I’m confident that he will lead Ukraine to victory against Russian aggression.
Oh, how convenient! President Zelenskyy just happens to witness a deadly missile strike while he’s visiting Odesa with the Greek PM. I wonder if this is just a publicity stunt to make him look like a hero.
Wow, President Zelenskyy is so brave! He’s not afraid to put his life on the line for his people. Too bad he’s not doing anything to actually stop the war.
I’m interested to learn more about the details of this missile strike. What type of missile was used? How many casualties were there? I hope that more information will be released soon so that we can better understand what happened.