Kherson residents seize brief opportunity for normalcy amidst conflict

“No drones, no explosions,” Soboleva remarked. “No one wants to kill you.”

They observed families strolling, shoppers purchasing supplies, and couples holding hands, passing a cafe adorned with cat paintings. Herasimenko described the atmosphere as “just like it used to be,” and shared that she even visited a salon for a manicure.

The ceasefire, brokered by First Lady Melania Trump and Pope Leo XIV, aimed to facilitate humanitarian aid to Oleshky, a town across the Dnipro River from Kherson. Russian forces occupied Oleshky in 2022 and heavily mined the surrounding area, severely restricting access to food and medicine. Residents told NPR that they had been surviving on limited resources like pickles and boiled weeds.

Over the weekend, hundreds of Oleshky residents were evacuated and transported to northern Ukraine. Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s ombudsman, expressed gratitude to Melania Trump for enabling the ceasefire, which lasted from October 27 to November 1, and voiced hope for its continuation.

Russian forces occupied Kherson for several months in 2022 before being driven out by Ukrainian soldiers aided by local partisans. Since 2024, residents have faced constant danger from Russian FPV drones equipped with explosives, prompting the installation of anti-drone nets along highways and throughout the city.

Svitlana Vorobiova, a retired police officer, traveled from a safer location to visit the Greek-style monument marking the city’s entrance, taking photos with her children. “I have a place in Kherson, and my parents are also here,” she said, visibly emotional. Her son, who hadn’t been home in four years, expressed disbelief at being back in his hometown.

Former Kherson mayor Volodymyr Mykolaienko, 66, was seen greeting locals as he walked through the city, expressing his joy at seeing people outside. Mykolaienko, who spent years as a prisoner of war in Russia enduring confinement, starvation, and torture after his arrest in early 2022, was released last year and returned to Kherson. The ceasefire allowed him to visit his father’s grave, a location usually under constant drone surveillance.

“I could not hold myself back,” he said. “I was able to do exactly what I have long wanted to do — to talk to my father, pray, thank him for my life and to tell him what was happening to our city.”

Oncology nurse Olena Yehorova observed a man playing folk music on an accordion at a busy bus stop. “This truce has been such a relief,” she said. “The people in our city have been able to breathe. Of course, we still walk around with caution, because you cannot trust the Russians.” She acknowledged the temporary nature of the respite, anticipating renewed attacks.