Living under occupation. A month after the start of the Russian invasion, launched on February 24, several major cities in southern Ukraine have been taken by Vladimir Putin’s troops. In Kherson, Melitopol or Berdiansk, the inhabitants suffer the fate of the occupied populations. This is what everyday life looks like in these cities now under the control of the opposing army.
In Kherson, repressed demonstrations
Located in southern Ukraine, not far from Crimea annexed by Russia in 2014, Kherson was the first major city conquered by Russian forces on March 3. Since then, this city of more than 200,000 inhabitants has become the scene of almost daily peaceful demonstrations. Participants urge Russian soldiers to leave. “This is Ukraine, go away, go home”we hear for example in processions.
The demonstrators, chanting “Glory to Ukraine”have beenwere dispersed Monday, March 21 by automatic weapon fire, stun grenades and tear gas. Ukrainian officials said at least one injured.
“In Kherson, the occupiers fired at people who had come out peacefully, unarmed, to protest. For freedom, for our freedom”, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video posted at dawn on Tuesday. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kouleba meanwhile denounced on Twitter “Russian war criminals [qui] opened fire on unarmed people peacefully demonstrating against the invaders”.
In Melitopol, a mayor kidnapped then released
On March 11, Ivan Fedorov, mayor of Melitopol, was forcibly taken away in broad daylight by Russian soldiers while he was at the crisis center to deal with supply issues. Located halfway between the besieged port of Mariupol and Kherson, Melitopol is also occupied by Russian forces. Shortly after the announcement of his kidnapping, dozens of residents gathered to demand the release of the chosen one. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the mayor was kidnapped because he “refused to cooperate with the enemy”.
The next day, Volodymyr Zelensky called his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to ask them to help free Ivan Fedorov. The latter was released on March 16, in exchange for nine Russian prisoners, according to the Kremlin’s human rights delegate, Tatiana Moskalkova.
In a video posted on Telegram, the Ukrainian president, who spoke to the mayor of Melitipol, said to himself “glad to hear the voice of a living man”. The mayor replied that after “one or two days to recover”he would again be at his command “to contribute to our victory”. However, the city councilor did not regain his functions within the town hall where he was replaced by the elected pro-Russian, Galina Danilchenko, installed at the head of the city by the Russian forces..
Two days after the abduction ofIvan Fedorov, another mayor was kidnapped, 80 km further north, in Dniproroudné. These abductions have been condemned by the EU. “This is a new attack on democratic institutions in Ukraine and an attempt to establish illegitimate alternative government structures in a sovereign country”denounced the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, on Twitter.
The EU strongly condemns the kidnapping of the mayors of Melitopol and Dniprorudne by Russian armed forces.
It is yet another attack on democratic institutions in #Ukraine and an attempt to establish illegitimate alternative government structures in a sovereign country.
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) March 13, 2022
“These kidnappings and other pressure on Ukrainian local authorities constitute another flagrant violation of international law”added Charles Michel, President of the European Council. “Russia’s military and political aggression against Ukraine must end.”
In Kakhovka, a kidnapped journalist
Kidnapped by Russian soldiers on March 12, Ukrainian journalist Oleh Baturin, 43, working in Khakova, in the Kherson region, was released after eight days in detention. “They wanted the names and contacts of those they call ‘nationalists’ – who organize the rallies in support of Ukraine in Kakhovka, Nova Kakhovka, Kherson and other occupied towns – and those who run the Telegram channels In the region”he explained in an interview with the World.
Other personalities, activists among others, who disappeared mysteriously in the areas occupied by the Russians, have still not reappeared, such as the coordinator of the demonstrations in Melitopol, Olga Gaisumova, who was kidnapped on March 12, also reports The world (paid item). If the number of disappearances, “mixture of targeted and random abductions” according to political analyst Mattia Nelles who fled kyiv, is unknown, the testimonies collected by The world andt those obtained by human rights defenders all attest to growing repression.
In Berdiansk, television and gas cut
“People remain united in the face of the occupation”reports Igor, a resident of Berdiansk, interviewed on March 10 by franceinfo. “They cut the television. We also have no gas, so no heating. We just have electricity. There will soon be no more food, the stores, the warehouses are emptying. I don’t know where it’s going to go, but it’s got to end.”
Berdyansk was quickly conquered by Russian troops. But in this port which overlooks the Sea of Azov, residents also demonstrated against the occupation. “There are more and more of them.”remarks Igor. “Berdyansk is Ukraine!”, we hear them scream in a video. The demonstrators also denounce the constraints imposed by the Russian occupier.
The occupation does not mean the end of the fighting. The Ukrainian navy thus claimed on Thursday March 24 to have destroyed a Russian troop transport ship which had anchored in the city. Immediately unverifiable information. Berdiansk is located 80 km west of the strategic port of Mariupol, a city besieged since the end of February.