Odesa and the region are being readied for all‑round defense: fortifications and mobilization of thousands
In Odesa Oblast, officials are creating a multi-layered system of obstacles and forming volunteer units. We examine exactly what is being done and why it matters for the security of the south.
By Tetiana Suchkova-Ladik
February 25, 2026 · 2 min read
Odesa and the region are being prepared for all‑round defense
Against the backdrop of renewed Russian statements about intentions to advance into southern Ukraine, the work in Odesa oblast looks not like disparate measures but like an integrated, multi‑layered preparation. This is not about panic — it is about systematic work intended to make an enemy breakthrough technically difficult and costly.
What they are doing
According to Denys Nosikov, head of the regional command of the Territorial Defense Forces "South", the preparations cover mobile fire teams and crews of interceptors, as well as a complex network of fortifications: anti‑tank ditches, various "traps" and snares, concertina wire (reinforced barbed wire), low‑visibility obstacles and other barriers. The aim is to slow the movement of enemy units, push them into improvised corridors and buy time for our forces' countermeasures.
"I cannot disclose details, but it is a very large, powerful system. Nobody will just walk in here — it's simply impossible"
— Denys Nosikov, head of the regional command of the Territorial Defense Forces "South"
Who will defend
The Territorial Defense is expanding volunteer formations within local communities. These are not units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but local people — students, pensioners, those who for health reasons cannot serve in the Armed Forces, but have the right to carry weapons and carry out combat tasks under orders. Nosikov estimates this resource at thousands of people ready to be mobilized if needed.
Context and consequences
The preparation in the region is not accidental. In June 2025 President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of Russia's intentions to push toward Odesa and beyond — to the borders with Moldova and Romania. In January 2026 the leadership of the Armed Forces also noted attempts to advance on the right bank and threats of reaching the south. In this light, the fortifications are preventive in nature: not for escalation, but to reduce the risk of a rapid breakthrough.
What this means in practice
For residents — increased engineering structures near residential areas and heightened readiness of local communities to take part in defense. For the state — a need to coordinate engineering, intelligence and partner support (artillery, aviation, logistics). Analysts emphasize: such constructions reduce the likelihood of a lightning offensive, but their effectiveness will depend on the availability of resources and timely international assistance.
Whether the south will receive enough equipment, ammunition and intelligence to turn these fortifications into an effective deterrent is a question on which the security of ports, supply lines and the lives of people in the region will depend.
