Kherson region in the south of Ukraine has mostly been under Russian occupation since early March, with active hostilities starting almost immediately with the beginning of the large-scale invasion. Combat and Russian attacks have severely damaged civilian infrastructure and inflicted substantial destruction on the local agricultural sector, one of the crucial ones for the region. In the face of the looming food crisis, Russian destruction and resulting fires at the fields of Kherson are a contributing factor to the famine that threatens mostly Middle East and African countries dependent on the grain from Ukraine.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine, however, are keen on liberating and recapturing the region. On July 11th, President Volodymyr Zelensky has ordered the liberation of Ukrainian south – a formal signal for counterattack that Ukrainian military has been preparing for some time. Ukraine has successfully targeted many military depots in the occupied territories, including the precise strike on Russian military unit in occupied Kherson as well. The strike resulted in substantial Russian losses and might have led to the death of a Rosgvardia colonel Aleksandr Nechipurenko – another important figure in chain of Russian commandment losses. On July 10th the Armed Forces of Ukraine have liberated the village of Ivanivka in the region.
Liberating the region will take time. Occupying forces use this time in attempts to subdue resistance on the captured territories, including Kherson, where up to 600 people are reported to be held in the torture chambers. The number of those subjected to enforced disappearances in unknown – however, the occupying authorities, including the FSB representatives specially brought to Ukraine, actively look for the war veterans, activists and anyone with the pro-Ukrainian position. Resistance to terror has taken two main directions – peaceful, with rallies and, later, flashmobs and distribution of anti-Russian posters/leaflet as well as active partisan movement. Ukrainian partisans managed to eliminate several high-profile representatives of occupying authorities, first and foremost a collaborator Dmytro Savluchenko, whose car exploded on June 24th.
Ukraine in Flames #124 explores partisan movement, evolution of resistance in Kherson and struggles of the people who remain on the occupied territory, subjected to terror of occupation that clearly demonstrates that “ceding territory to pacify Putin” is a wrong approach resulting in the murder of Ukrainians opposing Russian occupation.
Speakers:
- Andrii, citizen of Kherson
- Oksana Hlebushkina, regional coordinator at DocudaysUA.
UKRAINE IN FLAMES project is created by Ukraine Crisis Media Center, Ukrainian Catholic University’s analitical center and NGO “Euroatlantic Course”. We are aiming at searching a loud support for Ukraine in the war started by Russia on the 24th of February 2022.
If you want to support Ukraine against Russian aggression, check the link with recommendations by Ukraine Crisis Media Center – https://uacrisis.org/en/help-ukraine.
NGO Euroatlantic Course collects donations to support Ukrainian Army and civilians – https://eac.org.ua/en/main-page/.