Russian Shahed drone attack strikes Odesa during Czech President’s visit

He said this during a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on March 21.

"We left the city about 20 minutes before the heavy explosions began. This was not due to the incident, we were there for the scheduled period, and it just coincided," Pavel said.

In his opinion, it is very cynical to declare readiness for peace talks while simultaneously carrying out a massive attack on civilian infrastructure.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Minister for Communities and Territories Development, Oleksiy Kuleba, reported that Russia launched three groups of Shahed drones at Odesa during the meeting with the Czech leader.

"We discussed key issues of maritime security, Ukraine’s reconstruction, and the development of our communities. The Czech Republic is one of the leaders among countries that consistently help Ukraine. Over the three years of the great war, our partner country has provided Ukraine with $900 million in support – from humanitarian programs to military equipment. Specifically, the anti-ship complexes Neptun, made on the basis of Czech Tatra vehicles, have made a significant contribution to our maritime security," the minister said.

The conversation also focused on maritime security and the challenges of landmine clearance. According to Kuleba, since the summer of 2023, Russia has launched more than 450 missiles at Ukraine’s port infrastructure. However, since the start of the Ukrainian corridor, Ukraine's ports have transported 110 million tons of cargo.

"The Czech Republic remains a reliable partner in the reconstruction of our communities and regions. The country has taken patronage over the Dnipropetrovsk region, where it is updating water purification stations, supplying generators, medical equipment, evacuation buses, and rebuilding schools and hospitals. In Kyiv region, it is implementing a large-scale modernization project for the regional children’s hospital worth over 10 million euros, along with dozens of projects in Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Lviv regions," the Minister of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine noted.

Officials also discussed effective reconstruction and sustainable development of Ukraine. Kuleba invited Pavel to join the Ukraine Reconstruction Conference to be held in Rome this summer.

The Czech leader and the Ukrainian minister also agreed to expand humanitarian assistance for affected regions, including providing temporary housing for those who lost their homes and supporting medical facilities. Together with the heads of the Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson regional state administrations, they discussed further direct support for the regions.

"We are grateful to the Czech Republic and personally to President Petr Pavel for their unwavering support of Ukraine during this difficult time. Together, we will overcome all challenges and restore a just peace," Kuleba concluded.

• The Czech Republic will help modernize Ukrainian medical facilities. Six relevant projects have already been agreed upon, according to Ukraine's Ministry of Health.