SUN, SEA AND MISSILES: How Odesa Lives Through War

Odesa, Ukraine’s historic Black Sea port city, lies less than 200 miles (about 310 kilometers) from Russian-occupied Crimea. Russia regularly targets the city with missiles and drones; ballistic missiles launched from Crimea can reach Odesa in as little as 90 seconds.

Yet life along the coast continues. At sunrise, people gather on the beaches to hear live piano music. They swim in the Black Sea and explore Odesa’s famous underground catacombs. Tourists still come, though in far smaller numbers than before the war. Businesses remain open, and residents try to preserve a sense of normalcy.

But danger is never far away. Air raid alerts send beachgoers running for shelter, while Russian attacks continue to kill and wound civilians.

This is Odesa today: a Ukrainian resort city living under the constant threat of Russian attack.