Will Putin bombard Odesa next? | Significance of Ukraine’s third-biggest city

Fears of Russian assault on Odesa – Ukraine’s main port, crucial for the economy & a historic city. Odesa, a port city on the Black Sea, is Ukraine’s third-largest city & serves as a gateway for key Ukrainian exports. Odesa is around 70km from Transnistria, a tiny unrecognised Russian-speaking area that broke away from Moldova.. Another cause for worry is that Odesa is near Romania, a NATO member. The Ukrainian economy relies heavily on Odesa; losing control would be a massive strategic setback.

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