with heavy russian losses and fierce ukrainian resistance. one city russia is eager to take is odesa, a crucial port on the black sea coast. an offensive is expected any day now, leaving residents with a difficult decision to leave or stay. our correspondent andrew harding is in the city as it prepares its defences and he sent this report. on ukraine s black sea coast, they are getting ready for the russians. filling sandbags. ..and blocking the street odesa, an ancient port city once attacked by lenin, then by hitler, now braced for putin s invasion. some here cling to a sense of normality. of course the war will come, with all its death and suffering, and for what? asks 77 year old alexander.
look at the destruction in mariupol, | look at the destruction in mariupol, after three weeks russian bombardment. many bodies lie and buried in the rubble. unburied. hard to believe it looked like this a month ago when we filmed these pictures. then it was a bustling port city. families strolling past the theatre that was loved by so many. including an opera singer who managed to flee. you many. including an opera singer who managed to flee. managed to flee. you know, it is so devastating. managed to flee. you know, it is so devastating, it s managed to flee. you know, it is so devastating, it s a managed to flee. you know, it is so devastating, it s a very managed to flee. you know, it is so devastating, it s a very personal - devastating, it s a very personal story for me as well and as for a lot of actors and musicians who sang their. it is even more devastating to know that this place actually was a shelter for more than a thousand people including children.- people in
mariupol is still being shelled. and information is slow to emerge. here s what three weeks of russian bombardment have done to the city. the authorities say around 2500 people have been killed, but many bodies lie uncounted in the rubble. hard to believe it looked like this last month, when we filmed these pictures. then, it was a bustling port city. families strolling past the theatre that was loved by so many. including an opera singer who has managed to flee. you know, it s so devastating, it s a very personal story for me, as well and as for a lot of actors and musicians who sang there. it s even more devastating to know that this place actually was a shelter for more than a thousand people, including children.
randomly, cars turning up, emptying their trunks and leaving spare tires at these intersections. the point being if they do see russian troops in the city center that locals or troops can then set fire to those tire barricades, causing a thick fog of smoke and obscuring the view of any russian troops that come in here. interestingly enough, hours later the same head said hey, guys, you ve been amazing. within a matter of hours you ve filled every intersection with the tires and please do not set fire to them until we absolutely have to. that said, he did not believe tonight would be violent. it will be dawn which they would have to expect some sort of russian move towards inside this city. we ve seen the up and down and the ebb and flow of fears here where russia would be where they have managed to get to, and you need to see how utterly black and silent this bustling port city is tonight.
ukraine s president said russian attacks on civilians including the theatre in movie poll are deliberate. fix, theatre in movie poll are deliberate. theatre in movie poll are deliberate. . ., ., deliberate. a theatre that was a shelter for deliberate. a theatre that was a shelter for hundreds deliberate. a theatre that was a shelter for hundreds of - deliberate. a theatre that was a shelter for hundreds of people i deliberate. a theatre that was a i shelter for hundreds of people and was blown shelter for hundreds of people and was blown up yesterday. a maternity hospital. was blown up yesterday. a maternity hospital, residentialareas was blown up yesterday. a maternity hospital, residential areas without any military facilities. they are destroying everything around the clock destroying everything around the clock and destroying everything around the clock and they do not let any humanitarian cargo into a block ciiv humanitarian cargo into a block ciiv for humanitar