Kherson three years after liberation: how city survived occupation and what changed after return

November 11 marks three years since the liberation of Kherson from russian occupation. Then the Armed Forces of Ukraine regained control over the only regional center that russia managed to capture at the beginning of the invasion. Today, the city continues to be shelled, but the Kherson residents remain and hold on to their own.

The liberation of Kherson was a turning point in the full-scale war. The occupation lasted from March 1 to November 11, 2022 - about eight months, which locals call the most difficult in their lives. In those days, there was a shortage of food and medicine, mobile communication almost did not work, and armed soldiers were constantly on the streets.

One of the most tragic pages of the beginning of the occupation was the battle in Buzkovyi Park. About 30 territorial defense soldiers with bottles of incendiary mixture tried to stop the russian armored group. Most of them were killed. Local residents buried them in mass graves.

Despite the risks, Kherson residents went to peaceful rallies with Ukrainian flags. When open protests became impossible, the partisan movement intensified in the city. At this time, the occupation administration tried to convince people of the "forever" russian presence.

The prerequisites for the liberation of Kherson were gradually formed. Ukrainian troops destroyed the occupiers' equipment and headquarters in Chornobaivka, controlled key routes, and complicated the enemy's logistics by striking the Antonivskyi Bridge. In early November 2022, russian troops began retreating to the left bank of the Dnieper. On November 11, Ukrainian units entered the city without a fight.

Kherson welcomed the military as a return to normal life. But it turned out to be very conditional. Already in the first weeks after de-occupation, the city began to be regularly shelled. In June 2023, russia blew up the Kakhovka HEPP, which caused large-scale flooding of coastal areas. The water disappeared slowly, and the consequences of the accident are still felt.

Today, shelling continues almost daily. The russians have opened a real "safari" on the city's residents. They deliberately throw explosives at civilians or rescue workers. Residential areas, hospitals, schools are being destroyed. Some residents have left, but tens of thousands have remained. They say they do not want to "give the city silence." Kherson lives on the line of fire, but continues to work: houses are being restored, transport routes are being restored, volunteer kitchens and shelters are being opened.