Odessa, the jewel of the Black Sea, is shielded to receive the worst

A sepulchral silence floods the city that did not sleep and whose center is shielded to preserve the so-called pearl of the Black Sea. The port of Odessa is experiencing its most tense moments waiting for the worst: the arrival of Russian troops in this city located in southwestern Ukraine.

Barricades surround the streets of the city center where only a few dozen people are seen walking among the closed shops and only a few spaces are open. But what is abundant are the military.

Andriy, of Ukrainian and Lebanese nationality, was a television presenter and is now a soldier waiting on one of the avenues of the city, the third largest in Ukraine.

“We are prepared and I am sure that if the Russians come through here we have enough weapons and brains to fight those stupid Russians,” he tells Efe.

ODESSA OBJECTIVE

A week ago, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, stated that Russian forces are preparing to bomb Odessa, which he considered to be a “historical crime”.

Another scenario that the Ukrainian authorities are considering is that Russia seeks to isolate Odessa from the rest of Ukraine in the event that Russian forces advance from the territories they have been occupying in the Mykolaiv region, an area where shelling has intensified in recent days.

Faced with all these plans, many of the inhabitants of Odessa have chosen to leave the city and leave for the nearest countries, such as Romania or Moldova, while others have wanted to stay.

Among them is Olga, a 65-year-old lady who walks around in a fur coat and winds through all the sandbags that pile up like barricades in the city.

“Where am I going to be, in France?” , the lady smiles, and adds that Odessa is her city and that no one will take her away from her home.

“Of course the situation is bad, but it will pass. We will fight,” he points out to Efe.

WITH HIGH MORALE

Most of the soldiers who are stationed with their weapons to defend the city in case Russian troops enter are no more than 25 years old.

One of the soldiers, who did not want to be identified and at only 21 years old, stands in front of the Odessa Opera and Ballet Theatre, one of the most protected historic buildings in the city on the shores of the Black Sea with a façade decorated in Italian Baroque style.

He tells Efe that they are “ready” for any advance of Russian troops and that they will fight no matter what happens to restore the lost shine to the city.

Just that glow and melody that always resonated among the crowds of clubs in the city have been extinguished now, but one of the owners of the Ibiza Club, Pavel Kutsenko, points out to Efe that the disco “will be reopening soon”.

He is optimistic and says that they will stay in the city “until the end”, that is, “until victory” against the Russians because, moreover, his family and friends have not left Odessa.

“I hope this will change soon. Summer will come and fun will return,” he says, although he confesses that he has “never” seen Odessa like this, with the “empty streets”.

However, even if some have chosen to remain in the strategic city, they are still afraid and would not hesitate to escape should Russia occupy Odessa.

So say Daniel and Svitlana, 18-year-old students, who cross Deribasovskaya Avenue, named after the founder of the city, the Spanish admiral José de Ribas, whose bust crowns the armored street.

“We like our country, we don't want to leave,” says Daniel, although Svitlana says: “If Ukraine becomes Russia, we will leave.”

(with information from EFE)

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