Odessa

Odessa was founded as Russia's main trading port in the south.

Lots of people from Europe participated in its development, growth and even governance. Some of them are immortalized in monuments and main street names.

During its heydays as main port of the Empire it was Russia's third largest city, behind only then capital Saint-Petersburg and Moscow. It was close to Moscow in size.

Fortunes of the city though declined during Soviet isolationism, so there is little nostalgia for Soviet times compare to Donbas and Crimea.

However, that does not mean they are happy with their role of a port for just Ukraine that they have at the moment as it cannot support the same splendor it enjoyed during ther Empire times.

Because if its economic role Odessa shaped up as a multicultural city of the world. Back in the days it attracted shrewd and cunning people from all over the world who all wanted to enrich themselves during the city's economic boom. Nowadays their descendants also look for the best deal out there.

They are not like miners of Donbas who cannot adapt to obsolescence of mining coal in mines and now work in construction in Moscow. Neither they are patriots of Russia in Sevastopol, a city whose entire economy and identity revolves around Russian navy.

Odessa is a trading city between worlds and spheres of influences that can actually look outward for better economic prospects.

City of Special Status

Returning Odessa to Russia is not viable as it is too isolated geographically to resume its role as major trading port.

Turning Odessa into a City-State like Free City of Danzig while can appeal to some in the city, but fundamentally also unviable. Ukraine has alternative options to divert its trade should Odessa secede. That will make city even poorer.

Thus, it should continue as part of Ukraine. However, its current status as oblast center is not viable.

Odessa should be made into a special city. Similar to what Kyiv currently has and what Sevastopol was when it was part of Ukraine. Coastal areas on the east side of Dnistro, should also be made part of that Odessa city region.

That way city's government will have one clear focus and will be able represent Odessa's interests better.

On the other hand other areas of Odessa oblast, that are neglected by city centered government, should be reorganized into separate oblasts. 

Areas west of Dnistro should be made into a separate Ismail Oblast, how they used to be once. This areas are very isolated from the rest of the country geographically and should be given its own government who looks after their own interests.

On the other hand, areas east of Dnistro, that are not coastal should be split between Mykolaiv and Vinnitsa oblasts. Vinnitsa should get far north parts of Odessa oblast, that are part of Podolia historical region and Mykolaiv oblast should get the rest.