From the 16th-floor apartment of Mariia and Sergii in Odesa, the panoramic Black Sea view contrasts starkly with the daily reality of drone attacks and power outages. Their nine-year-old daughter Eva has developed an unsettling familiarity with aerial threats, identifying risks through social media channels when air raid sirens blare. ‘She distinguishes between potential dangers and immediate threats, which helps her cope,’ explains Sergii, watching his daughter monitor the skies.
This family’s experience reflects the broader crisis in Ukraine’s third-largest city, which has faced intensified assaults on its critical infrastructure in recent weeks. Russian strikes targeting port facilities and energy grids have plunged Odesa into frequent darkness while crippling the regional economy. The strategic southern port, responsible for 90% of Ukraine’s maritime exports last year, has seen agricultural shipments drop by 45% due to relentless attacks.
The human cost extends beyond economic damage. Residents navigate a precarious existence where 800 air-raid alerts annually disrupt daily life, and descending to shelters for 16-hour periods has become impractical. ‘People have grown dangerously accustomed to the danger,’ admits Maryna Averina of the State Emergency Service, surveying a destroyed gym after an overnight drone strike injured seven people.
Winter has compounded the crisis, with temperatures hovering around -1°C while power remains severely disrupted. Ada, 36, walking along the beach despite active air alerts, notes: ‘The shelling isn’t as scary as this cold is.’ Families like Yana’s have invested in expensive generators, but operating them costs approximately $10 for seven hours—a significant burden in a country where average monthly salaries reach about $500.
The city’s historical significance adds layers to its current struggle. Odesa, once hailed as the jewel of the Russian empire, now actively dismantles symbols of that heritage under the 2023 Law on Decolonization. Regional leader Oleh Kiper champions these efforts, replacing Russian-themed street names and removing monuments like the statue of Catherine the Great. ‘The enemy is doing far more than we are to ensure a Russian-speaking city becomes Ukrainian,’ Kiper asserts, referencing how attacks have pushed residents to reconsider their relationship with Russian culture.
As ballistic missiles continue striking port facilities like Chernomorsk, and partial blackouts enter their second month, Odesa embodies Ukraine’s resilience against Russia’s determination to either capture or cripple vital territories. The city’s residents, from fishermen like Kostya who once served in the Soviet army to young families like Mariia’s, demonstrate remarkable adaptability amid relentless adversity.