President Zelensky calls for international support to end the blockade of Odessa

On May 9, the Ukrainian armed forces said that at the Black Sea port of Odessa, a missile hit a shopping mall and warehouse, killing one person and injuring five others. Video from the scene shows firefighters and rescuers wading through the rubble.

Ukraine and its allies have stepped up efforts to break blockades at ports and provide alternative routes for grain, wheat and corn exports.

“For the first time in decades, the merchant fleet cannot move normally, the ports are not functioning in Odessa. It seems that this has never happened in Odesa since the Second World War,” Mr. Zelensky said.

“Without Ukraine’s agricultural exports, dozens of countries in different regions of the world would be on the brink of food shortages. Over time, the situation could turn extremely dire… This is the aftermath. This can be prevented by putting pressure on Russia, by forcing Russia to stop. put an end to this shameful war.”

European Council President Charles Michel visited Odessa on May 9, and his meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal was interrupted by a missile attack. According to Shmyhal’s official Twitter account, their conversation continued in a bomb shelter.

According to Michel, he saw cellars filled with grain, wheat and corn that could not be exported.

“Essential food is stuck because of the Russian war and the ports in the Black Sea are blocked, with serious consequences. We need a global response,” he said.

Air raid sirens sounded in several regions of Ukraine early on Thursday, including in Luhansk, Kharkov and Dnipro.

Serhiy Haidai, the governor of Luhansk, said the area was attacked about two dozen times in 24 hours. “During May 9, the Russians fired continuously at all possible routes out of the area,” he said.

Destroyed houses in Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk. In the village of Shypilovo, where people are still trapped, there was an attack on the inspection team that left one person injured, Haidai added.