Smoke is engulfing the streets of Odesa from the bombardment of the city's oil refinery by Russian missiles. The Zatoka bridge, which links the city with the rest of Ukraine, has been attacked and destroyed. I watch the news with horror as the map of Russian-controlled territory expands. I fear for Odesa, the “Pearl of the Black Sea.” I fear it could become another Mariupol in Putin's brutal war. ¶ Because I have traveled to Odesa, the news feels personal. Odesa is a city redolent with memories of dear people and precious encounters.