‘My personal tragedy’: Ukrainians brace for attack on Odesa
By YESICA FISCH and CARA ANNA
Associated Press
ODESA, Ukraine (AP) — The Black Sea port of Odesa is mining its beaches and rushing to defend itself from a Mariupol-style fate. Some Western officials believe the city, which is dear to Ukrainians’ hearts, could be next. Bombardment over the weekend led to fresh alarm. Odesa would be a huge win for Russia in its attempt to strip Ukraine of its coastline. The city is Ukraine’s largest port and headquarters for the navy. Residents say Russian President Vladimir Putin would be insane to take Odesa, once a gilded powerhouse of the Russian empire, with the brutal approach used elsewhere.