Amid the bombs, Ukrainians rediscover the beach
Odessa gives itself permission to tan again
THREATS OF BALLISTIC missiles, drones and sea mines might ordinarily be enough to put holidaymakers off their buckets and spades. But nothing is so simple in Odessa, Ukraine’s good-time resort on the Black Sea. Two and a half years into war, its beaches are alive again with speedos, silicone and grandmothers selling shrimps and corn on the cob. Demand is so great that trains and hotels are sold out weeks in advance. Prices for the most expensive rooms at the prestigious Lanzheron beach have shot up to $1,000 a day.
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Europe August 3rd 2024
From the August 3rd 2024 edition
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Russia’s bloody summer offensive is hurting Ukraine
Kremlin troops are making gains in the Donbas region
How much of a difference will Ukraine’s new F-16s make?
Too few to beat Russia’s air force, but a strong symbolic start
Some Germans think the hostage exchange with Russia was a dirty deal
But preserving good relations with America was more important
The deal that freed Evan Gershkovich was more than a prisoner swap
It freed Russian prisoners of conscience as well as Westerners taken hostage by Vladimir Putin
The Olympics are teaching the French to cheer again
France’s politics is a mess, but the games are glorious
Humiliated by Azerbaijan, Armenia tacks towards the West
Courting the EU and America without alienating Russia is a difficult trick