Variation #23
By KS Lack
Print: Artist Proof 4/10
Frame: photographs on canvas, wax
Known as the “Pearl of the Black Sea”, the city of Odesa has been regarded as a strategic, economic and cultural prize since its founding by Catherine the Great in 1794. The region has had settlements stretching back to the Scythians and ancient Greeks; modern Odesa stands on the site of a Crimean Tartar settlement established in the 1400s.(A) Situated on a large bay near where the Dnipro River empties into the Black Sea, Odesa was a key warm-water port for the Russian Empire. As the largest city in Ukraine until 1918, it played major roles in the 1905 Uprising and the Russian Revolution. It is a beautiful example of a planned city, with wide boulevards and a wealth architectural delights.
Odesa has long been a cosmopolitan melting pot, home to various ethnic groups, including a once-thriving Jewish community that was devastated by during WWII.(B) Historically, ethnic Ukrainians made up less than 50% of its population, with Russian serving as the city’s dominant language. While Odesans were not particularly pro-Russian, they were also not fully aligned with Kyiv. The city followed its own path, to the extent that Putin considered it a potential ally prior to the full-scale invasion.
Odesa’s response shattered Putin’s hopes. The city’s residents quickly made it clear they were firmly opposed to the invasion, switching from Russian to Ukrainian and welcoming displaced people from other parts of the country as “guests of Odesa.”(C) Yet, Putin continued to assert his claim, declaring in December 2023 that “Odessa is a Russian city… Everyone knows this.” After Moscow’s withdrawal from the UN-brokered Black Sea Grain initiative in June of 2023, Russia shifted its tactics.(D) Since then, Odesa has endured regular missile attacks; its historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been specifically targeted. Hundreds of historic buildings have been damaged or destroyed, and a strike in March 2024 killed 21 people and injured many more.
While Odesa is not yet on the front line, the destruction witnessed in cities like Kharkiv, the complete devastation of Mariupol, and the eradication of countless small towns and villages serve as grim reminders of Russia’s intent.(E) Russia has made its point clear—it will destroy what it cannot control. For Odesa, and for Ukraine, the situation could still get much worse.
A) For more on the Crimean Tatars, see Variation #24.
B) For more on Jewish life in Ukraine, see Variation #17.
C) For more on Ukrainian refugees, see Variation #12.
D) For more on Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian exports, see Variation #11.
E) For more on frontline destruction, see Variation #25.
See below for further reading and background.
Odesa, Ukraine, Encyclopedia Britannica.
Odesa, Internet Encyclopedia of Ukraine.
Odesa rejects Russia: Putin’s Ukraine War turns old allies into bitter enemies, Atlantic Council, 27 Jun 22.
How War Made Odessa More Ukrainian, Engelsberg Ideas, 17 May 23.
Odessa, a refuge from Russian attacks for 120,000 displaced Ukrainians without homes, Atalayar, 08 Aug 23.
Putin proclaims Odessa Russian city, challenges Ukraine's historical narrative, Tass, 14 Dec 23.
Ukraine’s Odesa, the ‘pearl of the Black Sea’, added to Unesco World Heritage list, The Guardian, 25 Jan 23.
Spike in Deadly Russian Attacks on Odesa, Other Ukrainian Cities Causing Immeasurable Suffering, Destruction, Top Political, Humanitarian Officials Tell Security Council, United Nations, 08 Mar 24.
What Ukraine Has Lost, The New York Times, 03 Jun 24.