ODESSA, Ukraine
At approximately 4:15 am today there are reports of renewed hostilities breaking out as presumedly Russian forces have attacked the Black Sea port city of Odessa.
At this time it is unknown how many troops were involved in the attack but you could hear two large booms and followed by what was a fighter jet overhead.
The attacks appear to be targeted and there is NO widespread attack or small arms fire audible here.
UPDATE - Russian jets bombed the military portion of the airport and knocked it out.
The navy has for want of better words mauled if not eliminated.
The Ukrainian military has engaged Russian special forces but you cannot hear a battle in civilian areas.
Apparently the attacks were aimed at military structure but the Ukrainian military is engaging.
At the present time Odessa is still functioning and despite what and I repeat may have been the start of a Russian attack the local transit is operational and people are seemingly unaware and going to work.
From our vantage point large numbers of police vehicles are apparently headed to the City’s central dock area.
With the loss of Crimea in 2014 to annexation to Russia the port of Odessa became the de facto home of the small Ukrainian navy.
Odessa, which has just over 1 million residents holds major strategic and economic importance for Ukraine.
To lose the seven ports in the Odessa region would economically cripple the Ukrainian economy as 80 percent of goods exported from this country leave through ports in this region.
From my vantage point overlooking the Black Sea I cannot see any type of military action occurring here.
Odessa is just waking up and when the booms happened it did not seem to wake up the inhabitants. The buses are running.
Despite the two booms in the early morning hours people are waking up, taking their dogs for a walk and going to work. The 24 hour stores are operational with some panic buying setting in with bottled water in high demand.
There are now confirmed reports there are Russian paratrooper and special forces in the city of Odessa.
Large numbers of police cars could be seen all heading in the same direction.
A State of Emergency was called here yesterday and with the start of what looks like targeted attacks designed to break the backbone of the Ukrainian military the Ukrainian government at the time indicated if there was war that martial law would take effect.
Update - Martial law has now been imposed.
The Odessa airport is also closed. All flights have been cancelled.
But that calm is now gone and it is unknown how many, if any, people have been killed and hurt nor how many people are involved and how big of an area the military invasion covers in this city.
We will try to get back to you with more details when they become available.
