Eight years after deadly clashes, Odesa holds its breath and fears it's still in Putin's sights

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

ODESA, Ukraine — Only tense-looking soldiers were allowed to leave their homes in Odesa on Monday, with the silence on the streets almost audible in this city known for its vibrancy.

The first week of May typically brings tourists, barbecues and blooming flowers to Odesa, an international jewel of culture and commerce on the Black Sea. This year, however, it brought a daylong curfew as authorities feared the potential presence of Russian agents aimed at discord and destruction.

Monday marks the anniversary of a deadly clash between pro-Russian and pro-European activists in the city in 2014 that killed 48 people and injured dozens more. This year, facing a war as well as the memory of a tragic incident often mentioned by Moscow, many worried they would have to fend off Kremlin-backed saboteurs and Russian rockets — rather than insistent tourists.

Many believed Odesa, a key city in Ukraine’s southwest, would be a target for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion. While Russian forces have failed to pose a real threat, city leaders are nonetheless wary.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/eight-years-after-deadly-clashes-odesa-holds-its-breath-and-fears-its-still-in-putins-sights/ar-AAWPXb1

[maxsolomon]

1. There is little doubt that Odesa is the prize.

I believe it's the one place in Ukraine that Putin doesn't want to destroy - it's their Riviera. They want it intact; Russians own much of the real estate.

If you've never looked at it on Google Maps/Earth, it's informative. It has luxury high-rises and beach resorts all along its coast.

[peggysue2]

2. They have a right to be worried

Putin appears to want that entire coastal region. Just yesterday I read that there was movement of Russian ships in the Black Sea and what appeared to be smaller landing craft vehicles around the Odesa area. The writer of the report said the next few days could be 'interesting.'

The good news, of course, is that if a writer using open-source material spotted this, the Ukrainians are no doubt well aware and prepared for an assault.

Very dicey.