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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Putin: 'Odessa is a Russian city.' What could be the future plan of the SVO
2023-12-15
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
by Denis Davydov

[REGNUM] “Odessa is generally a Russian city. We know about this. Everyone knows about this well,” said Russian President Vladimir Putin, answering a question from journalists at the “Results of the Year” , and emphasized that the entire southeast of Ukraine has always been pro-Russian, calling it historical Russian territories.

Such a statement again put on the agenda the question of what role the “pearl by the sea” would play in the special operation.

Plans regarding Odessa are still not officially announced, but this is not the first time the Russian leader has spoken about the Russian affiliation of the city, built on the site of the Turkish fortress Hadzhibey.

Thus, in October 2022, Putin’s speech at the Valdai Club session became the main subject of discussion for Russian and world media and political scientists. His comment that Odessa could become “a symbol of conflict resolution” provoked a variety of versions of a possible future.

Numerous experts agree on one thing: among the strategic goals of the Northern Military District is the creation of a land corridor with Crimea, which has already been accomplished, and control over the Black Sea coast with the same land corridor in Transnistria. Here Odessa plays a key role.

Thus, the governor of the Kherson region Vladimir Saldo expressed the opinion that a military operation to liberate her is inevitable after the de-occupation of Kherson. “The Black Sea and Azov regions have historically been the lands of Russia. In this region there was a desert land, on which nomads, the Turks, drove, took into slavery everyone who came to hand - both Russians and Ukrainians... Now this land is called New Russia - Novorossiya, — the governor explained.

Foreign commentators share the same opinion.

As former USMC intelligence officer Scott Ritter
...who likes underage children and being interviewed by Russian news media...
Ritter also writes for Russia Today, the CNN of Russia.
said in an interview on December 1, no matter how this conflict ends, “The bottom line is that if Ukraine controls Odessa, Crimea will never be safe.”

“Therefore, in order to guarantee the security of Crimea, we need to take Odessa”, the expert emphasized. In addition, the Kiev regime could lose not only Odessa, but also five regions, as well as full access to the Black Sea, Ritter added. According to the American military man, who systematically criticizes US foreign policy, the Ukrainians themselves signed such a verdict for themselves by refusing peace negotiations with Russia.

Colonel Douglas McGregor, who planned a number of major US military operations at the Pentagon, is also confident that “Ukraine still has the last opportunity to come to an agreement with Russia” . But already in 2024 it will be too late, he believes:

“They will pause... and then launch a major offensive that will likely take them to the Dnieper River in the south, near Zaporozhye. From Zaporozhye to Odessa, and ultimately to Transnistria. They will also capture Kharkov in the north. These are areas where Russian is traditionally spoken, areas that have always been part of Russia. It is these areas that provide Ukraine with about 90% of its GDP.”

Of course, Vladimir Putin is unlikely to allow himself extremely specific statements regarding the territories that are now under Ukrainian rule.

However, the logic of further events is dictated not only by objective reality, but also by the fact that without neutralizing the Odessa port and establishing control over the northern coast of the Black Sea, it is impossible to talk about the safety of the fleet base in Sevastopol. As well as about the demilitarization of Ukraine.

And the fact that Odessa is a Russian city is as indisputable a fact as the fact that Kyiv, Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk and Nikolaev are inextricably linked with Russia by their history.

Related:
Scott Ritter: 2023-11-08 US Senate rejects an aid package for Israel separately from Ukraine
Scott Ritter: 2023-10-06 Prigozhin's plane was blown up by a hand grenade
Scott Ritter: 2023-10-01 Colonel McGregor calls on Ukraine to make peace due to the losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces
Posted by:badanov

#6  As I recall the Russians attacked the Germans WW11 successfully crossing the Dnieper.
Posted by: Dale   2023-12-15 16:41  

#5  Seizing Odessa might be a totally genius plan, but the ginormous fly in the ointment is getting there. Looking at a map, your two choices are an opposed amphibious landing or going overland. An amphibious assault is both challenging and expensive. Likewise, fighting your way across Ukraine. We have seen the problems both sides have operating on the other side of the Dnieper. Getting from Kherson to Odessa would involve multiple river crossings.

Prediction: the final border when the fighting stops will be along the Dniepro - essentially the south-eastern part of Ukraine. In the north, the border may be along one of major tributaries, but it will be something defensible.
Posted by: SteveS   2023-12-15 10:29  

#4  You get to choose your religion - or lack thereof. You do not get to choose your race - except on US gummint questionnaires.
Posted by: M. Murcek   2023-12-15 10:15  

#3  I've never classified someone's chosen religion as a race of people or as a governing body. The racial majority of folks within a group might adhere to one religion or another, but that doesn't necessarily determine that group's ethnicity.

For instance Mooselimbs might believe that they're a 'race', but there are SO many belief sub-sectors within it that you're almost looking at the human species as a whole when it comes to ethnicity.

Plus, they all hate each other.
Posted by: Mullah Richard   2023-12-15 10:12  

#2  ^Odessa IS Jewish city!
Posted by: Grom the Reflective   2023-12-15 08:46  

#1  Odessa is a tad older than Russia. It was the Lithuania port town of Kotsiubijiv in the 1400's and then the Ottomans renamed it to 'Hacibey' (or 'Khadjibey') when they took over the area during the 1500's.

It has also been researched as a possible site of the ancient Greek settlement of Histria from the 6th century BC.
Posted by: Mullah Richard   2023-12-15 08:43  

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