Kherson: Life Under Constant Threat of Russian Attacks

Journalists Victoria Hnatyuk and Maria Shevchenko from Ukrainian Witness traveled to Kherson to reveal the harsh realities faced by residents living under the persistent threat of Russian military assaults. The city, a symbol of resilience and struggle, continues to endure relentless attacks as its inhabitants strive to survive in nightmarish conditions.

According to the film crew, today, the entrance to Kherson is protected by nets, and the green light at the traffic light indicates not the order of passage but the safety of movement—whether there are enemy FPV drones in the sky. This highlights that life in the city has become a true ordeal, where every trip could be the last. One must drive quickly, as the green light can turn red at any moment, increasing the danger significantly.

Residents of Kherson refer to the Russian attacks on the city as a “human safari.” One woman, who had previously left but returned to Kherson, shared that drones, Grad rockets, artillery, and mortars strike “every day, 24/7.” This indicates that life in the city has become a true nightmare, forcing people to live in constant fear.

According to the Kherson Regional State Administration, since the beginning of 2026, more than 50 people have been killed and over 450 injured in the city and the region. Russian military forces deliberately hunt civilians with drones: they spot a person, “paint” them, and kill. This reflects the horrific reality in which the residents of Kherson live, becoming increasingly dangerous.

The Ukrainian Witness team spent several days with volunteer Andriy Pyetukhov, known as Boxer. The man survived the occupation of Kherson, and after the city was liberated from Russian invaders, he began helping residents evacuate from dangerous areas of the city and region. “Every year it gets worse and worse. People say they hope, but they just don’t notice how much worse it becomes,” Boxer emphasizes the hopelessness faced by the residents.

Every evacuation is a tremendous risk, sometimes there is no more than five minutes to leave. Together with the police, volunteers try to evacuate families with children from “red zones,” where mandatory evacuation has been declared. However, they sometimes encounter resistance. “We witnessed a family with three children in the village of Stanislav who locked themselves in a battered house without windows and refused to leave. Now the matter will go to court to forcibly evacuate the children from the deadly danger zone,” said the Ukrainian Witness film crew.

But there are other cases—an elderly man from Shyroka Balka agreed to evacuate only after the Russians completely destroyed his home. With tears in his eyes, he took away the most precious things that survived—the pregnant rabbit and his dog, Bonya. This story underscores how difficult it is for people to leave their homes, even when their lives are at risk.

A separate part of Boxer’s team’s work involves the evacuation of the bodies of the deceased. According to him, he once retrieved a body that had lain for over 20 days in a shattered bathtub and helped re-bury a son whom his mother had buried alone in the yard. This horrific task has become part of their reality, as relatives of the deceased often ask to collect at least some remains of the bodies torn apart by shells.

“Despite the total danger, Kherson is a city of contrasts. While the popular Suvorov Street is now empty due to the drone threat, in the Tavriysky microdistrict, public transport operates, families with children stroll, and cafes prepare lattes and cappuccinos. However, this relative calm can end at any moment, as the hunting zone for enemy drones is constantly expanding,” journalists noted, emphasizing that life in Kherson has become a true test.

Municipal workers continue to operate in Kherson, as does the famous Dnipro Market, which is located in the “red zone.” Despite this, fresh fish and strawberries are still sold there. The danger is ever-present, so when the sound of an enemy drone is heard, vendors abandon their goods and run to hide. However, they do not plan to leave their jobs, as it is their only source of income.

In the “red zone,” the local maternity hospital is also under constant threat, having been attacked by Russians several times. The head of the obstetric department, Petro Marenkovsky, stated that before the war, they delivered 1,300 to 1,500 births a year, but in 2025, just over a hundred children were born. This reflects how the war has impacted the demographic situation in the region.

“Today, Kherson is a city where people try to continue living under conditions that are hard to call livable. Some drink coffee on a bench under the sounds of explosions, some refuse to leave their shattered homes because ‘they need to look after the animals,’ and some risk their lives daily just to retrieve the bodies of the deceased for dignified burial,” the film crew reported, emphasizing that despite all the difficulties, people continue to fight for their lives and dignity.

A comprehensive video report from Kherson can be viewed on the Ukrainian Witness YouTube channel. This story serves as an important testament to the resilience of people living in wartime conditions and their desire for a normal life despite all the challenges.