report
The city of Kherson, which was flooded after the rupture of the Kakhovka dam, is hit by heavy rains. But the volunteers don’t let that discourage them.
As if things weren’t bad enough, the sky is gray and it’s raining heavily in Cherson. A small blue van from Kiev is unloading humanitarian aid, including sheets and towels.
Volunteers carry everything into the basement of a house in the center. An old man is standing at the entrance and smoking. Tired and stressed with deep circles under his eyes, Volodya stands in the rain. It doesn’t matter now, he says. Because at the entrance to Biloserka in the west of Cherson, the water was two meters high.
“Now I don’t care about the rain either” – Volodya from Biloserka had to leave his house.
Despite the rain, the water is receding
According to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, more than 40 towns in the region are still flooded, 14 of them on the Russian-held left bank. Around 2,700 people, including 190 children, were evacuated on the right bank, which is controlled by the Ukrainians. Five people were killed and seven children were among the 35 missing.
Aid supplies are stored in the basement.
According to the Kherson Regional Military Administration, the water continues to sink. Almost 78 of almost 140 square kilometers are still flooded. In the early afternoon, the water was four meters high on average, and the water is now receding in Biloserka, says Volodya. Important, but cold consolation for now. His wife and grandchildren are abroad, and he and his daughter now have to see what happens next.
“This is a great pain”
Down in the basement, Oksana Pohomi is standing between large stacks of sacks and boxes containing canned sauerkraut, pasta, sanitary napkins, colorful stuffed animals, drinking water bottles and rubber boots.
“I survived the Russian occupation and now I’m not sitting back,” says Oksana Pohimi.
The resolute lady with the bright red dyed hair wears comfortable black cotton clothing. She directs the volunteers who haul the humanitarian aid upstairs. “We didn’t survive the Russian occupation to just sit back and relax,” she says with conviction. “A priest brought us all his flour for our bakery and we shared the bread. We can help the people who are here. I’m most worried about those on the Russian-occupied Left Bank. It’s a great pain because there are friends there.”
Oksana Pohomi is a volunteer and regional deputy from “European Solidarity”, the party of former President Petro Poroshenko. Many people have spent their lives building their houses and have now lost everything. Many would only have what they would wear, but took dogs and cats with them. “We now have to think about psychological help,” she says.
Meanwhile, the water level in the Kakhovka reservoir is falling, which has negative effects on the drinking water supply and cooling of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency Grossi wants to visit the Russian-occupied nuclear power plant next week.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian army confirmed an advance in the east of the country. The army released a video showing Ukrainian soldiers raising the blue and yellow flag in the village of Blahodatne, Donetsk Oblast in Donbas.
Son abducted to Russia
Among the volunteers in Kherson, a Serhii Officerov also helps with the carrying. During the Russian occupation of the area, his son was taken to Russia with others, he says, and convicted of “terrorism.” Pure arbitrariness and sheer nonsense, according to the worried father.
“My son has been in the Moscow Lefortovo prison of the Russian secret service FSB since October,” he says quietly. Then he carries boxes upstairs, where it’s still raining heavily. As if things weren’t bad enough.
Shaded: territories occupied by Russia