Beach during the day, air raids at night: Summer comes to end in Odesa

Before Russia's full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian port city Odesa was a popular summer destination. Every year, tourists would flow from Ukraine and abroad, attracted by its beaches, bustling nightlife, history, and rich local cuisine.

A year-and-a-half into the full-scale war, the city is getting back to its ways — with some changes.

During the day, the city’s beaches and restaurants welcome a growing number of people, now half of the number it enjoyed before the invasion. But every other night, when the curfew starts, Odesa is shaken by air raids, as Russia targets its port terminals to further undermine Ukraine’s ability to export grain.

One of the biggest summer attacks took place on the night of July 22, when the city's main cathedral was damaged.

Swimming in the sea was officially banned until mid-August, when local authorities announced some beaches, including the popular Langeron Beach, safe enough. That didn’t last long: In late August, the beach was evacuated when swimmers reported spotting what appeared to be a naval mine.

Naval mines aren't the only threat. After the Kakhovka Dam was destroyed in June, leading to an environmental disaster, authorities warned that the sea near can be contaminated and bad for swimming.

That didn't discourage locals who wanted to swim in the sea. They frequented the beaches even before the ban was lifted.

Away from the beach, the city's legendary central market, Pryvoz, is bustling with life as it always had.

This summer's attacks, especially intense in July, ruined or damaged dozens of historical buildings in Odesa. One of them was the city's Archaeological Museum, where the ceiling fell recently, following the damage the building had undergone in earlier attacks.