The War of Odessa – and What Came After

Deep dive– It is one of the most important cities in Ukraine. It is Ukraine’s third-largest city and a major port on the northwestern edge of the Black Sea. Until recently, Odessa was also a very popular holiday destination. Of course, everything changed with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and given its strategic importance, Odessa became a frequent target of the Russians throughout the war.

The city suffered heavy bombardment early in the war. The first Russian airstrikes against Odessa took place early on February 24, 2022, the day of the invasion. Less than a week later, Ukrainian forces captured Russian saboteurs in the city, and while Ukraine took control of Odessa, the city has been attacked dozens of times since.