2 months ago
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DEEP DIVE – It’s one of the most important cities in Ukraine — the country’s third largest, and a major seaport on the northwest edge of the Black Sea. Until recently, Odesa was also a hugely popular vacation destination. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 changed all that, of course, and given its strategic importance, Odesa has found itself a frequent target for the Russians throughout the war.
The city took heavy fire in the war’s early days — the first Russian airstrikes against Odesa came 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 has managed to keep control of Odesa, the city has been hit dozens of times since.
