Russian missiles and drones are relentlessly targeting Ukraine's Black Sea ports, including Odesa, causing significant damage to infrastructure, sinking vessels, and leading to a rising civilian death toll.
Svitlana Halchenko, a warehouse shift manager at Odesa's main port, recounts how a ballistic missile explosion killed her colleagues, including a crane operator and a driver. Despite sustaining injuries herself, she is determined to continue working.
According to Ukraine's port administration, July saw 57 Russian attacks on civilian vessels, 22 of them at sea, and 67 hits on port infrastructure. Several ships have been sunk, including the Turkish-owned 'Golden Leo,' struck by three missiles on July 19.
Journalists visiting a port near Odesa observed almost no activity. Hundreds of meters of berths were empty, and gantry cranes stood idle. A senior manager said that normally there would be a queue of ships waiting for a berth, but now no one is coming.
Oleh Grygoriuk, Chairman of the Marine Transport Workers Union of Ukraine, emphasized that working in the port is scarier than being on the front line. A missile can fly from Crimea in a minute, while a crane operator needs three and a half minutes to descend and take shelter.
The military authorities allowed the visit on condition that the facility's name and details not be disclosed, to prevent Russia from knowing what has been damaged and using that information for further attacks.
Experts believe Russia is attempting to strangle Ukraine's trade routes in the Black Sea, dealing a severe blow to the country's economy, which is one of the world's largest grain exporters.
Ukraine's navy has conducted successful operations against Russian vessels, nearly halting traffic in the Sea of Azov. However, this has led to intensified Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports.
Residents and visitors of Odesa continue to enjoy the summer season despite the danger. Beaches are crowded, but sirens and explosions have become routine. In June, a woman was killed by drone debris.
A similar tragedy occurred on Russia's Black Sea coast when a Ukrainian drone crashed onto a beach, killing seven people, including three children.
Andrii Dudik, an 83-year-old resident near Odesa, also suffered from a drone explosion, his house destroyed. He considers himself an accidental victim and says he will never forget the incident.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk