Russia hits Odesa with drones during visit of Czech President Petr Pavel

Russia launched a mass drone strike on Odesa during a visit to the city by Czech President Petr Pavel on March 20.

"I arrived in Odesa, Ukraine, which has been resisting Russian aggression since the beginning of the war," Pavel wrote on X.

Deputy Prime Minister for the Restoration of Ukraine Oleksii Kuleba later said that during his meeting with Pavel, Russia launched three groups of Shahed-type drones at the city.  

"It was during our meeting that Russia launched three groups of Shahed on the city. The entire civilized world should see Russia's crimes against Ukraine," Kuleba wrote.

Three people were injured during the attack, and civilian infrastructure was damaged, Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper said.

The officials discussed maritime security, post-war reconstruction, and community development. Kuleba highlighted the urgent need for de-mining efforts, also noting that since summer 2023, Russia has fired more than 450 missiles at Ukraine's port infrastructure.

Kuleba invited Pavel to attend the Conference on the Reconstruction of Ukraine, which is set to take place in Rome this summer.  

The attack on Odesa's infrastructure comes just two days after Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a partial "ceasefire," pledging to halt strikes on Ukraine's civilian and energy infrastructure for 30 days.

Odesa, a key Black Sea port with a population of around 1 million, has been a frequent target of Russian drone and missile attacks throughout the full-scale war.