When the city was liberated from the Russian yoke six weeks ago, there was a lot of celebration and celebration in the streets of Cherson. Little is left of the party atmosphere now: Cherson is constantly terrorized by Russian rockets, and snipers are firing on the city from beyond the Dnieper.
Dozens of civilians have died in Russian attacks since the city was liberated. Cherson is sometimes without power for days due to the destruction of important infrastructure. The miserable conditions led to a new influx of refugees: citizens seek refuge in other parts of Ukraine or in Europe.
“They hit us hard,” resident Serhi says via Telegram. “It hits every night and often during the day. As I write this, the windows and doors of my house are shaking.” He estimates that there are relatively few victims, as many residents have moved. Yesterday, authorities reported 60 attacks on the city, but there were “only” six wounded and one dead.
The neighborhood was evacuated
The head of the Kherson district says there are dozens of bumps every day. This includes both artillery fire and heavy mortar fire. Human Rights Watch found that cluster munitions were used at least three times in the attacks on Kherson. There is also “evidence” of the use of phosphorus ammunition, a possible war crime, according to local authorities.
The city is slowly falling apart. Neighborhoods close to the river are particularly affected. “It’s too dangerous to approach the shore now,” Serhi says. Most of the houses there are abandoned.
The area around the port and shipyard is the most heavily bombed. The Ostriv (“Island”) region is of great economic importance for the city. Today the city council has decided to evacuate the entire neighborhood as it is too dangerous and there is no electricity, gas and water.
return and remainder
Of the city’s approximately 300,000 residents, an estimated 80,000 remained after liberation, with the rest fled or disappeared. Since liberation, the number of refugees has increased due to poor living conditions. City Council President Galina Lugovaya urges people in damaged apartments to leave their homes. Loegovaya says beds and hot meals are ready at the reception places.
There are also returnees like Andriy Yachenko. “I was in Tallinn with my wife when the occupation started, while our 12-year-old son was staying in Kherson.” Two months later, they managed to get his son out of the city, and the family returned only shortly after liberation. come back.
Life in the city certainly isn’t easy, he says, but there are certainly signs of hope. “Russian terrorists are firing rockets at us every day, but now shops, banks and pharmacies are slowly reopening.”
Serhi isn’t thinking of leaving either, but this weekend, a kindergarten 100 meters from her home was demolished and the facade of an apartment farther away was blown away. “I make sure my house can take a few direct hits.” He tries to be in the room farthest from the river as possible. “So a series of walls protect me.”
His entire family is gone except his father. He definitely wants to stay in his Cherson. “Who else is going to tell you what’s going on here?” she jokes.
Source: NOS
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
