Kherson authorities rush to restore water and electricity in the liberated Ukrainian city
Key points
- Critical infrastructure was damaged in Kherson by fleeing Russian troops.
- Authorities are rushing to provide homes in the southern port city with water and electricity.
- For security reasons, a ban on the exit or entry of people into the city was introduced.
Kherson Region Governor Yaroslav Yanushevich said on Sunday that authorities had decided to maintain a curfew and bar people from leaving or entering the city as a security measure.
Residents of the liberated southern city of Kherson gathered on the main square to greet the Ukrainian soldiers. Source: Getty / AFP via Getty Images
“The enemy has mined all critical infrastructure facilities,” Yanushevich told Ukrainian television. “We are trying to meet within a few days and (then) open the city,” he said.
On Sunday, artillery fire swept over the city, but it could not prevent crowds of cheering, flag-waving residents, wrapped up in the cold, from gathering on the main square of Kherson. The crowd tried to pick up mobile phone signals from Starlink ground stations installed on Ukrainian military equipment.
Residents use the Internet from the Starlink network, created by the Ukrainian army after the liberation of Kherson. Source: Getty / AFP via Getty Images
“Now we are happy, but we are all afraid of bombardments from the left bank,” said singer Yana Smirnova, 35, referring to Russian artillery installations on the eastern bank of the Dnieper River near the city.
However, some of those celebrating in Kherson’s main square said the problems pale in comparison to the joy of Ukrainian troops entering the city.
Kherson was the only regional capital that Russian troops managed to capture before their forcible withdrawal. Source: Getty / AFP via Getty Images
Residents say the Russians have been withdrawing gradually over the past two weeks, but their final withdrawal only became apparent when the first Ukrainian troops entered Kherson on Thursday.
“It’s just hell there – there are extremely fierce battles every day,” he said on Saturday.