鶹ý

World

No bathing during air raids — but beaches in southern Ukraine port reopen

A group of high school students sit on a breakwater at a popular beach attraction along the shore of the Black Sea in Odesa, Ukraine, Sunday, July 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) A group of high school students sit on a breakwater at a popular beach attraction along the shore of the Black Sea in Odesa, Ukraine, Sunday, July 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Share

Beaches officially opened for swimming in Ukraine’s largest port city of Odesa for the first time since the began in February 2022, local officials announced Saturday.

Bathing during air raid alerts, however, remains banned in the city.

Odesa has seen relentless waves of Russian attacks over the last 17 months, filling the waters with sea mines and leading officials to close the stretch of sandy beaches and holiday resorts once popular with Ukrainian and foreign holidaymakers.

However, despite officially banning swimming since the start of the war, some people have continued to do so.

The city’s beaches were further tarnished in June when filthy waters from the washed downstream, posing what the Odesa municipality described as a “genuine threat” to the health of residents.

Head of the Odesa region military administration, Oleh Kiper, said several “swimming and recreation areas” would open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in a post on the Telegram messaging app on Saturday, adding more beaches would open up as inspections were completed.

Kiper said lifeboats and mesh fences to protect against explosive ordnance would be required in open swimming areas, adding divers would be sent to inspect the Black Sea waters if necessary. Daily coastal cleaning would also take place, he said.

Oleksandr, a lifeguard and a former diver who gave only his first name, told Reuters that an anti-mine net was placed in between two piers to prevent swimmers encountering shallow-water mines.

“The net will stop them. And they (mines) will also be visible from the shore under such weather conditions. Emergency workers will be notified, they will come to handle it,” he said.

In a Telegram post, Odesa’s municipality said air raid shelters were available nearby the reopened swimming spots, with shelter locations indicated on information boards at the beaches.

But while Odesa Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov said it was the administration’s responsibility “to prepare all the necessary infrastructure,” he added, “In my personal opinion, beach vacations - as recreation - are a bit out of time while our defenders are fighting for every metre of Ukrainian land.”

Despite being cautious, residents have welcomed the move as a distraction from the war.

“I want to swim at last and distract myself,” Yevhen, a student from Mykolaiv whose school was shelled and who went to Odesa for a short vacation, told Reuters. “I don’t want to think about the war and bad things. I dont want to think about it.”

“I have been dreaming of going to the beach and inhaling salty air. We have been missing it a lot. But safety is a top priority,” Svitlana, a resident of the Odesa region, told Reuters.

Odesa still remains a Russian target. At least , including a historic Orthodox cathedral, were destroyed in the region in an intense wave of attacks by Russia near the end of July. Russian strikes last week and key industrial infrastructure in the city.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.

The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

Canada

  • A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

  • Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.

  • The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

  • A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province’s police watchdog.

World

Politics

  • Murray Sinclair’s family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.

  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale—Langley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.

Health

Sci-Tech

Entertainment

Business

Lifestyle

Sports

Autos

Local Spotlight

For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.

A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

  • Thousands of people are expected to gather in downtown Vancouver on Monday to observe the city’s 100th Remembrance Day ceremony.

  • Weather watchers were treated to an exceptionally rare display on Friday evening as rare cloud formations filled Vancouver skies.

  • Toronto is expected to see an economic boost to the tune of nearly $300 million thanks to Taylor Swift’s upcoming Eras Tour, which will be making a stop in Canada’s largest city for a six-show run later this month.

  • One man was transported to hospital early Monday morning after a stabbing in the northwest end of the city, Toronto police say.

  • Calgarians will be observing Remembrance Day at a number of different ceremonies across the city, including at the Hangar Flight Museum.

  • A home in the northeast Calgary community of Saddle Ridge was damaged in a fire on Sunday.

  • WEATHER

    WEATHER

    Conditions were warm early Monday and expected to remain that way for most of the day.

  • WATCH LIVE

    WATCH LIVE

    CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa.

  • After months of controversy surrounding a dog park in Ottawa's west end, a solution has been reached to divide the park in half.

  • With fewer interments and rising maintenance fees, the money for Canada's largest military cemetery will run out in three to four years.

  • The employers association at the Port of Montreal locked out nearly 1,200 longshore workers, bringing a halt to traffic at the port.

  • Though most businesses are expected to be open on Remembrance Day, there are some establishments that will be closed to commemorate the holiday.

  • LIVE @ 10:45 A.M. MT

    LIVE @ 10:45 A.M. MT

    Monday is Remembrance Day, a time to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty.

  • WEATHER

    WEATHER

    This is shaping up to be one of the warmest Remembrance Days in the past decade, at least, for temperatures.

  • Maritimers will stop Monday to remember those who have served, and continue to serve, in Canada's armed forces for Remembrance Day.

  • A Cape Breton senior recalls her life in German-occupied France, and her mother’s death, during the Second World War.

  • Thousand of people gathered at the Menin Gate in the Ypres, Belgium for Monday’s Remembrance Day Ceremony.

  • Remembrance Day is today, and a number of ceremonies are taking place around the province to honour those who gave their lives to serve our country.

  • A pillar in Canada’s history was honoured in Winnipeg Sunday afternoon, with thousands showing up to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the late Murray Sinclair.

  • Winnipeg police have identified two men involved in a stabbing incident earlier this week.

  • There will be two ceremonies taking place in Regina for Remembrance Day, hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion.

  • Regina author Valerie Crowther is celebrating the release of her book ‘War Letters: Linking Lives in the Second World War.’

  • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

  • A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

  • A man is facing an attempted murder charge after an attack at a bar in downtown Guelph.

  • People across Canada will pause to reflect Monday at Remembrance Day Ceremonies across the country.

  • Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was seriously injured in a farm-related incident in Montreal Lake.

  • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

  • The Regina Rams claimed the Hardy Cup after a hard fought battle against the Saskatoon Huskies 19-14 on Saturday in the first all Saskatchewan U-Sports western conference final since 2002.

  • The events will start at 10:15 a.m. with a parade that forms up in front of the Delta London Armories, marches east on Dundas Street and turns north onto Waterloo Street to Dufferin Avenue, the west to the Cenotaph.

  • Emergency crews responded to the scene on Road 68/Highway 2 east of Thamesford around 7 p.m.

  • On Friday, the Sarnia Police Service (SPS) received a report of an alleged abduction in the area of Kathleen Avenue and Walnut Avenue.

  • Environment Canada issued a weather alert for Barrie, Collingwood and surrounding areas, alerting residents about the wicked winds that are expected to pick up to 80 kilometres per hour in the afternoon hours.

  • Barrie residents gathered on Monday to honour Canada’s veterans and pay tribute to those who served and sacrificed for the country.

  • A driver is facing multiple charges after a multi-vehicle collision on Highway 400 early Sunday morning.

  • WATCH LIVE

    WATCH LIVE

    Representatives of the Windsor Veterans Memorial Services Committee, military representatives, wreath bearers, government officials, and members of the public will attend the Cenotaph at City Hall Square for the outdoor service.

  • One person has been arrested after Chatham-Kent Police Service (CKPS) received multiple complaints about an alleged drunk driver.

  • More details have been released about a police investigation at the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ont. and Detroit, MI.

  • Environment Canada says heavy rain and winds could cause power outages on Vancouver Island as an "intense" storm system is set to hit the B.C. coast Sunday.

  • Six deer were struck by vehicles in six different locations in a six-hour period on B.C. highways on Saturday, according to the transportation ministry.

  • The union for locked-out port workers in British Columbia says the BC Maritime Employers Association cut off talks in less than an hour Saturday, refusing to budge on a final offer that the union has so far rejected.

  • The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.

  • Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.

  • More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.

  • The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year’s host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

  • The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.

  • There might not a lot snow just yet, but many southern Albertans are still itching to get outdoors.

  • It was just days before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down when the Shaft Bottom Boys of Sudbury broke a world record for 'Deepest Concert Underground.' Now, more than four years later, a Timmins band is looking to take the title.

  • Police have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a break-in and $50,000 in damage done to the Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake in September.

  • Mayors of the five largest cities in northern Ontario met in North Bay the last two days to discuss a range of critical issues impacting their cities and the region.

N.L.

Shopping Trends

The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 鶹ý. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.

Stay Connected
Follow 鶹ý