Occupied Cherson: “It is life-threatening to leave the city”

The southern Ukrainian city of Cherson is occupied by the Russian army. Whoever is there is stuck. Also Dimitri Popov from Hamburg by choice. In the daily topics he describes how life is currently in Cherson.

Since the beginning of the Russian attack on Ukraine, Russia has occupied several cities, including Kherson in southern Ukraine. The city is located near the Black Sea, north-west of Crimea and has around 300,000 inhabitants.

Dimitri Popov, who normally lives in Hamburg, has been in Kherson since February to work and visit his parents. in the daily topics-Interview he describes life under Russian occupation. You can move around in the city. Leaving them is difficult because of the checkpoints. “The city is empty,” says Popov. “Although some cars are driving, people are moving, but compared to normal life it’s like it’s been swept empty. There are only people in the center – for demonstrations.”

Protests against Russian occupiers

The protests against the Russian occupation have “a cleansing power,” says Popov. “Otherwise you can just sit at home and do nothing, just read the news, where people are being bombed, who is dying. You feel powerless. If you then take part in demonstrations, it gives you a very good feeling.”

On Saturday, Russian soldiers wanted to pull a demonstrator out of the crowd, but they reacted and intervened. “The occupiers had to shoot in the air to block the masses and retreated after a while,” says Popov.

Leaving the city is life-threatening

On the same day there was a change in the occupiers: “Before that we had the regular army, which was stationed in the city and now on Saturday a special unit came that is actually used in Russia to quell unrest.” He believes that it will soon be impossible to demonstrate against the occupying forces peacefully and without injuries. Pro-Russian demonstrations like those shown on Russian television are purely propaganda images. He had never seen such demonstrations anywhere.

Popov is currently stuck. “It’s life-threatening to leave the city,” he explains. The streets leading out include the neighboring town of Mykolaiv, “there is shooting and there are rocket attacks.” He’ll stay where he is for now. He is constantly in contact with his family in Hamburg, with his children and his wife. “They know every day that I’m okay and alive,” said Popov. He feels “powerless, angry – a constant change of feelings”. And he hopes that “the war crimes that are now taking place in Ukraine will not go unnoticed and that Russia will also be punished for it.”