Parties at the beach club and tourists killed by sea mines in Odessa

Special Envoy to Odessa (Ukraine)The beach club The beaches of Odessa are packed with Aperol-drinking tourists, but a huge sign reminds you that you're at war.

"If the air raid siren sounds, swimming in the sea is prohibited. If necessary, go to a shelter and follow the lifeguards' instructions." The wails of the siren warning of the arrival of Russian bombs sound almost every day..

A DJ plays electronic music from a booth overlooking the sea, and people dance around a pool, but the sign insists you're at war.

"If you spot a suspicious object in the sea, remain calm. Do not touch or move the suspicious object. Move at least 100 meters away from it immediately and alert the lifeguards." There are images of the suspicious objects: they are sea mines. Since the beginning of August, three tourists have exploded while swimming in the sea.

Welcome to Odessa, a tourist paradise on the Black Sea. Welcome to Odessa, a paradise at war. Welcome to Odessa, the Ukrainian paradise longed for by Vladimir Putin. War is also about contrasts. Odessa is a great contrast.

In the winter of 2022, Russian troops were advancing forcefully from Kherson toward Odessa. The residents of this historic city feared an imminent occupation by land and sea. But the Ukrainian army blocked the Kremlin troops' path to Mykolaiv, about 130 kilometers from Odessa, and from there staged the largest recapture of the entire war: Ukrainian soldiers recaptured Kherson and established their front line across the Dnipro River. The war map continues like this on this flank. Since then, Odessa has been a regular victim of Moscow's attacks. Russian troops are across the sea, firing clearly from the Crimean peninsula, occupied by Putin since 2014.

"We can say that Ukraine is winning the Black Sea war. At the beginning of the invasion, we saw Russian warships on the horizon. Now they've been forced to hide them on the other side of Crimea, for fear that we'd sink them," says Dmitry Pletenchuk, a spokesman for the Navy. He speaks from a park in downtown Odessa. Children play on top of a recently unveiled monument: it honors the soldiers who have fallen since the beginning of the Russian invasion."To those who have died for Ukraine", reads in gold letters on black marble. Those who have died for Ukraine are many. So many that they can’t be counted.

—Are you afraid that the Russian ships will threaten again when they land in Odessa?

—No. They wouldn’t do it without ground support, and our guys are doing an exceptional job on the Kherson front holding the defensive line. Besides, we have stabilized the situation in the Black Sea, although they control most of the water.

—Russia often bombs Odessa.

—Odessa is like right in front of us: the Russians are shooting at us from across the sea, from Crimea.

—What do you need to win the war?

—Stable military support from the world’s leaders. We're not asking you to fight for us, even though we're fighting all over Europe, but we do need more help, more weapons.

—What would happen if Ukraine lost this war?

—That Ukraine, controlled by Russia, would attack other countries in Europe tomorrow. The world must understand that Russian demands will never end.

The children continue to play on top of the names of the fallen heroes. I wonder if the image would be disturbing. to those who have died for UkraineA soldier told me this week that the image that had impressed him most since he started fighting on the front was seeing children saluting them as military vehicles passed through their villages in Donetsk. They are children at war. They are fighting for them. I ask one last question to the Ukrainian Navy spokesperson.

—Is it safe to swim on the beach in Odessa?

—Yes, the only thing is that if you see anything suspicious, it's best not to touch it. If it's a mine, you'll arrive in Barcelona before your time.

I don't see any mines, but I do see jellyfish on one of Odessa's main beaches. They're small and transparent. They assure me that these don't sting. Jellyfish drift with the ocean current: they come and go, as if dancing to the rhythm of a wave. Maybe they come from across the sea and yesterday they were dancing with the enemy. The water is cold. The water is full of people swimming. There are even more people on the sand: some boys are playing volleyball, some girls are taking selfies, it's hard to find free sunbeds. A man is shouting: he's selling dried fish. On the horizon, where Crimea is located, only blue sky can be seen. And a boat:Some commercial ships continue to operate this route despite the risk of mines. The use of civilian vessels is prohibited. A few days ago, a video recorded on that beach went viral. Bathers applauded as anti-aircraft defenses shot down Russian drones that were coming to attack Odessa. War is all about contrasts.

There's a giant jellyfish in the sky hanging from a crane. It's the big decorative element of the beach club fashionable in Odessa. Its name will sound familiar: Ibiza Beach Club. People eat oysters and drink French champagne while sunbathing. Waiters hand out fruit platters to their customers. Waiters hand out cigars to smoke by the pool. Electronic music permeates the entire space: Boom, boom, boom. In one of the pools there is an inflatable flamingo. And a swan. Cascades of water fall on the backs of relaxing guests. The coast of Odessa, the pearl of the Black Sea, is full of beach clubs Like this one. At night, some turn into open-air discos. The party ends at eleven. At twelve, the curfew begins. It is at night that the Kremlin is most punished.

Real estate agencies at war

International tourism has disappeared from Ukraine. In Odessa, tourists are now domestic: they come mainly from Kiev. "The beaches help you disconnect from the war," a 30-year-old woman I shared a ride with from the capital told me. That night, Kiev, a major target of the Kremlin's psychological warfare, was attacked with imperial rage: 31 missiles and 600 drones killed 23 people and left around 60 injured.

To Myhailo and Alina, Kiev would seem like a sanctuary. They are sunbathing on the sand in Odessa. They have a four-year-old child. They come from the Kharkiv region, from a village just 20 kilometers from the front. It is the first time they have left their town since the invasion began three and a half years ago. This is Myhailo speaking. He knows war well: he is a firefighter and works doing rescues to everything the Russian army bombs.

—For us, being here is a pleasure. We come from hell, here life flourishes, here we can relax.

—What is the situation like in your village?

—How can I tell you? 60% of it has been destroyed. By eight in the evening there's a curfew, and the Russians bomb us every day, with all kinds of weapons. And the explosions from the front are felt all the time, all the time.

The boy interrupts his father while he's speaking. This is the boy's first time seeing the sea. His father's trip has been paid for. They're staying at a mental health center for war victims. In a few days they'll return home. War is all about contrasts.

A few towels away, the landscape is different.

Another couple, Vaisilio and Karina, come from a town near the Polish border. Logically, their town is safer than Odessa. Logic is of no use in wars. A few days ago, a Russian missile hit the factory where they work. It was nighttime, and they weren't there. Putin often demonstrates that his missiles can reach anywhere. Psychological warfare. "We know that Odessa is often attacked, but this is our first time here, and we're loving the atmosphere," the man says. I ask them about negotiating to end the war. Their resounding response: "Too many soldiers have died to give any land to the Russians."

The war has changed the country's geography. Regions are revalued according to their distance from the front and the frequency with which Moscow bombs them. People are fleeing Donbas, Zaporizhia, Kharkiv, Kherson and seeking shelter in safer areas.In Kramatorsk, in Donbas, you can buy a two-bedroom apartment for less than $10,000. It's a risky investment: the bombs are falling, the Russians are advancing. In Odessa, housing prices are rising again and will soon return to pre-war levels. In Lviv, near the Polish border, prices have skyrocketed.

"Oh, Mother Odessa"

Odessa is a city under reconstruction. It is a symbolic reconstruction.

As in Ukraine, everything Russian is disappearing from city maps. Streets with Soviet names are being replaced by Europa Avenues. Russian remains the primary language of Odessa residents. In 2014, when Moscow occupied Crimea, many residents would have been delighted to be part of Putin's country. The streets are telling us that the mayor, Gennady Trukhanov, was openly pro-Russian before February 24, 2022. Some believe he still is, although his rhetoric has changed radically. when it became clear that Kremlin troops would not reach the city. Wars accentuate mistrust.

But the Russian influence is evident: on Thursday night, in a music bar on the seafront, people were dancing and singing. Odessa mama, a traditional Russian song associated with the Soviet Union. The lyrics could have been written by Putin: "Oh, Mother Odessa, you are forever loved by me. Oh, Mother Odessa, how I miss you! Oh, Mother Odessa, who can forget you?"

It doesn't seem like the DJ was chosen for political reasons. The next song screamed "Slava Ukraini!" (Glory to Ukraine), a historical cry now converted into a symbol of resistance to the invasion.

War is all about contrasts. Odessa is a stark contrast.

The boardwalk is full of rides. The most common rides are those involving shooting fake rifles and aiming at metal objects. The prizes are stuffed animals: Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny, SpongeBob, Tom and Jerry... Ukrainians' average accuracy has certainly improved over the last three and a half years. Bad business for the fairground workers.

Soldiers on vacation stroll among stalls and fake Kalashnikovs. Private Vitaly isn't on vacation. Private Vitaly is recovering. Private Vitaly's daughter is holding his hand. The Russians shelled him just as he was getting out of the armored vehicle. Pieces of shrapnel pierced his body. In a week, he'll be back at the front, with the Kalashnikovs that really kill.

— Do you want to go back, Vitaly?

— I'm from a village in Luhansk province, which has been occupied by Russian troops since 2014. We can't do anything but fight to get our homes back.

— Fight until when?

— Until the end. We have no choice. This is what we've been dealt.

This is what we have to deal.. It's a phrase often heard in Ukraine.

At the Virtus clinic, they've had to retrain. Since 2014, this cosmetic surgery center has also treated soldiers with forehead injuries: they reconstruct body parts destroyed by war. The most effective treatment is for faces and limbs. They also help the military with rehabilitation tasks. "We do it voluntarily. It's another way to help our army," says Pavlo Kozlov, a spokesman for the center. The waiting room often involves irrational scenes: clients waiting to get Botox for their lips next to soldiers injured by Putin's army.

War, however disguised, is everywhere. Pavlo Kozlov explains that most of the doctors who worked at that center are now saving lives in field hospitals a few kilometers from the trenches. War is contrasts. War is, above all, pain.