Odesa is Ukraine’s maritime gateway, a hot spot of global geopolitics, the biggest city in the south of Ukraine, and one of the biggest ports in the Black Sea region. It serves as a nexus for trade, finance, and culture in Eastern Europe, solidifying its status as the largest city in the Black Sea region.

For the first time since WWII, one of the largest Black Sea ports faced a maritime blockade. Russian vessels began obstructing exports and imports from Odesa in February 2022, posing a significant threat not only to Ukraine but also to global food security.

Before 2022, the ports of Odesa region exported around 50 million tons of grain annually providing for approximately 400 million people worldwide.