site.btaLoud explosions Heard in Odesa, Ballistic Missile Attack Carried Out, Local Sources Say

Ukraine's city of Odesa and the Odesa Region were attacked with ballistic missiles. Loud explosions were heard in the city, local channels of the Telegram app reported Saturday. 

An air raid alert was issued at 11.32 a.m., and explosions were heard minutes later at 11.37 a.m.

Residents of Odesa and the surrounding area are urged to stay sheltered until the alert is lifted, Odesa regional military administration head Oleh Kipper said. 

Bulgarians in the Odessa region number more than 150,000 and were the third largest population in Ukraine in the 2001 official census.

Some 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 regions.