Kherson Residents Return to Streets as Drone Strikes Pause
A five-day truce in southern Ukraine allowed for evacuations and public gatherings, ending Sunday night with normalcy expected to reverse.
By Anthony Lawson ·
The temporary halt to hostilities in southern Ukraine concluded on Sunday night, ending a period of relative calm in Kherson. The ceasefire, which ran from October 27 to November 1, was negotiated by First Lady Melania Trump and Pope Leo XIV. Its primary objective was to facilitate the evacuation of residents from Oleshky, a town located across the Dnipro River from Kherson.
Russian forces occupied Oleshky in 2022 and established extensive minefields in the surrounding terrain. These conditions made the transport of food and medical supplies difficult. Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian ombudsman, credited the negotiation efforts for ensuring the agreement held. He stated that he believes such truces can be upheld and honored by both sides.
During the five-day window, hundreds of residents from Oleshky were evacuated. They were transported by bus into northern Ukraine. The pause in fighting also allowed residents of Kherson to step outside without the constant threat of aerial attacks. For months, Russian troops positioned across the river have targeted the city with first-person-view drones carrying explosives. These strikes have forced the installation of heavy mesh nets over the main highway and numerous streets to shield pedestrians.
On the weekend, the skies above Kherson remained clear of guided bombs and drones. Olena Soboleva and her friend Anna Herasimenko, both 21, walked the streets without the usual urgency. They observed families strolling with children and shoppers filling their carts. Soboleva noted the absence of explosions and the feeling that no one was trying to kill them. Herasimenko visited a salon and painted her nails burgundy, a routine that had become rare.
The city gateway, marked by a Greek-style monument, saw a return of vehicles and visitors. Svitlana Vorobiova, a retired police officer living in a safer city, drove to Kherson to meet her family. She took photographs with her children at the monument. Vorobiova’s son had not seen his hometown in four years. He expressed disbelief at being back in the city where he grew up.
Volodymyr Mykolaienko, a former mayor of Kherson, walked through the city center past the damaged administrative building. Local residents stopped to shake his hand. Mykolaienko, 66, was held as a prisoner of war in Russia from early 2022 until last year. He was released in a prisoner exchange and returned to a city where his family still resides. The truce allowed him to visit his father’s grave in a cemetery typically filled with drone activity. He described the visit as a long-held desire to pray and speak to his father.
At a busy bus stop, oncology nurse Olena Yehorova watched a man play an accordion. She described the truce as a relief that allowed the city to breathe. However, she noted that residents still moved with caution, trusting the Russian forces only partially. As the truce ended, she looked up at the sky, expecting attacks to resume at any moment.
