Off Odesa News Today

>> i want to bring your attention to odesa, the city on the black sea, we havent talked about it for a while now. we are seeing hundredss, perhaps thousands starting to run from odesa, fearing an imminent russian assault on that city. there was word yesterday of some shelling of the coastline there. we know that russian war ships are in the black sea off odesa, they may be preparing for all out assault. todd and carley, you guys mentioned the terrifying comments from president vladamir putin of ...

City. but i think general, safe to say the ultimate goal of the russian forces is to cut off odesa, that would give them access to the black sea ports, access to the sea, would they branch out after they have solidified gains here? >> when they cut off, if they cut off odesa, thats the last port ukraine has. they will be a landlocked nation and devastating effects on their economy. and also up in mariupol as you point out, the fighting has been heavy and thats where yesterday and a half day befo...

10 ukrainians were killed in that clearly unprovoked attack. the attacks on the capital kyiv itself have continued, missiles hitting the city center or close to the city center once again yesterday and then in the southern port city, black seaport city of odesa, we are seeing more people trying to get out of that city. that could mean that they believe a russian assault from the land to the east of odesa all from the waters to the south where we know there are russian war trips stationed in the ...

Them with these tools? i mean, can you tell us why these things arent there already or if its a more involve process? >> sure, so, theres a couple things. theres a bureaucratic reason, and we tend to be paternalistic with regard to what our partners can employ. the ukrainians are screaming for lots of different things, and i failed to mention the coastal defense cruise missiles that they need also for the landing ships off odesa, but theyve been screaming for them and our response is, no, we don...

To remember language like that since nazi germany. >> carley: his rule could get tighter as the war plays out. i want to ask more about odesa on the black sea, if russia captures that city, it would give russia a significant strategic advantage, right? >> jonathan: absolutely. weve seen them attack other cities in the south along the coastline and odesa is the jewel, if you like, of the black sea. obviously it would be a major victory for the russia in staggering setback for ukraine, if the russ...

Listen. >> well see. i dont read anything into it up i see what their actions are. well see if they follow through on what they are suggesting. >> the white house today confirming to nbc news that it has seen some evidence that the russian troops are moving away from kyiv, but they point out that that may just show putins plans are changing and he could change his mind at anytime. british intelligence is confirming that that resistance from ukraine is real, that they have had success taking back...

Think they dont think putin would dare to hit the center of this historic city. molly hunter, nbc news, odesa, ukraine. >> our thanks to molly for that reporting. stay with us because theres another busy hour ahead including that briefing from the pentagon, set to start at the top of the hour, just about five minutes from now. with the very latest out of ukraine. were also watching supreme court nominee ketanji brown jackson make the rounds, more of them on capitol hill. meeting in about 15 minu...

Ukrainian naval officers on shore tells us the russian ships have been moving in and out, calling it psychological warfare. but he says the russians are out of options. so you dont think they can take odesa? "no chance," he says. "we will kill them as they approach." an estimated half the city has stayed behind to fight. nikolai vokanski heads a volunteer coordination center supporting the community here and sending vital supplies to the east. until recently it was a trendy food court. >> it was...

Skeptical of what moscow puts out. >> dan de luce, thanks very much for that. it all happens as the southern port he city of odesa in ukraine is gearing up for a fight. youve got people piling up sandbags, planting mines, trying to protect cultural monuments. to save the city known as the jewel of the black sea. nbcs molly hunter was in odesa. she has more. >> reporter: hello from the center of the historic city of odesa. now, i cant show you any of the military points around here. i cant show y...

To create," he says. adding the building has a great history, its the best theater in the world. but today this is as close as we can get. its now under military protection. and since before the war started odesa has been preparing. the jewel of the black sea nestled in ukraines southwest corner, the cultural center dear to so many ukrainian hearts and historically russian ones too. now a fortress with monuments shrouded in sandbags. the citys famous white sand beaches usually packed with touris...