site.btaUPDATED Odesa under Ballistic Missile Attack

Odesa is under ballistic missile attack, Odesa Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov reported on Telegram on Monday morning.

Sirens were sounded at 9:34 a.m. Locals were urged to hide in bomb shelters.

A structure near residential buildings was hit, local Telegram channels report.

There were casualties as a result of the missile attack in Odesa, said Odessa regional administration leader Oleg Kiper on Telegram. He added that damage was caused to residential buildings as well. 

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.