Germany's Baerbock seeks cover in Odessa due to air raid siren

Annalena Baerbock, Germany's Foreign Minister, attends a joint press conference with Dmytro Kuleba (not pictured), Ukraine's Foreign Minister. Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Visiting German Foreign Minister had to seek shelter during her visit to Odessa on Saturday evening when air raid sirens went off.

The alarm was triggered on Saturday evening at 9:48 pm (1948 GMT). Air raid sirens could be heard in the port city. The alarm was lifted at 10:07 pm.

The Green Party politician took refuge in the shelter of her hotel together with members of her delegation and other guests, a dpa reporter learned.

An explosion was then heard in the Odessa region. It remained unclear whether there was a rocket hit or whether the Ukrainian air defences had blocked the projectile.

There was no immediate information on possible damage or victims.

Two Russian drone attacks left a total of four dead and several injured in the city of Odessa shortly before Baerbock's visit.

The top German diplomat was in Ukraine on a trip with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to mark the second anniversary of the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbour Ukraine.

Annalena Baerbock (L), Germany's Foreign Minister, and Dmytro Kuleba (C), Ukraine's Foreign Minister, visit the Transfiguration Cathedral in the port city of Odessa, which was destroyed in a Russian missile attack. Kay Nietfeld/dpa
Annalena Baerbock (C), Germany's Foreign Minister, visits the Transfiguration Cathedral in the port city of Odessa, which was destroyed in a Russian missile attack. Kay Nietfeld/dpa
Annalena Baerbock (R), Germany's Foreign Minister, and Dmytro Kuleba (2nd R), Ukraine Foreign Minister, look around the border crossing between Ukraine and Moldova. Jörg Blank/dpa

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