Journalist Jussi Konttinen and photographer Outi Pyhäranta arrived in Odessa, Moldova, and spent an hour and a half in their shelter for their first job.
17.3. 17:44
Odessa / Helsinki.
The Russians warships are grouped off Odessa. It could be related to an air alarm issued in the city from early afternoon on Thursday, says an HS reporter Jussi Konttinen From Odessa by phone to home delivery to Helsinki.
He had just gotten to the HS Photographer in the afternoon in three countries Outi Pyhäranta back to the city after an hour and a half air alarm.
“Warships According to various data, it is 7–14, ”says Konttinen.
“The head of the Odessa military administration said that the crews of the ships did not seem to have any intentions to land but it was a game of nerves. However, ships may be fired at the coast, and yesterday this was done closer to the Romanian border. ”
International military experts also estimate that Russian troops are not yet in a position to try to land in Odessa. To prepare for it, Russia is trying to take over the city of Mykolaiv more than a hundred kilometers away as a bridgehead, but the Ukrainians have persevered.
Container and Pyhäranta arrived in Ukraine earlier on Thursday from the Moldovan side.
“Moldova is full of refugees from Ukraine, and of course they were also seen at the border. The border station itself was not very congested this time, ”says Konttinen.
After the border formalities, Konttinen and Pyhäranta drove 50 kilometers in Odessa, listening to the taxi driver’s patriotic speech: Russian troops in Odessa really are not wanted.
“There were a lot of big signs on the side of the road, where it was hoped that Russian warships would fuck,” Konttinen says.
“On the 50-kilometer journey, there were also numerous roadblocks in the Ukrainian army that stopped us and asked for documents.”
At a roadblock northwest of Odessa was only a few hundred meters away from Russian landing forces, they were told.
“There had been a fight there a few days ago. It was apparently about managing the road to Moldova. The Russians are still there, but the road is under the control of the Ukrainian forces. ”
Konttinen and Pyhäranta also visited Odessa Airport.
“It was fired during the war, but apparently there is no major damage. The airport’s intersections are protected by armored barriers. “
Ukrainian soldiers in the center of Odessa near the opera house on Thursday, March 17.
Downtown there are armor barriers and strong obstacles and military guarding in front of the opera house, Konttinen says.
“Obstacles read ‘Liberté, szegalité, fraternité'” [Vapaus, veljeys ja tasa-arvo]. The opera choir has sung the Ukrainian national anthem in front of the opera house. ”
The Odessa Opera House is the traditional heart of the city. Defending and protecting it in World War II against the Nazis and now Vladimir Putin against the Russian forces ordered by both Ukraine and abroad in the media.
“Right now we are interviewing civilians, like my old acquaintance from my years of studying in Odessa. We will talk about it in a story to be published later, ”says Konttinen.
The woman carried plastic bags towards the roadblock in Odessa on March 17th.
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