We were expecting scenes of joy in Kherson, as we have already seen this weekend, with residents in particular thanking the Ukrainian army for having freed them. But we did not expect that: Volodymyr Zelensky in person, came to greet “A great day”. The Ukrainian president visited Kherson on Monday, November 14, recaptured on Friday from the Russian army which withdrew after weeks of fighting.
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“I am happy because we are in Khersonsays Volodymyr Zelensky. We are going step by step to all the temporarily occupied territories of our country. It is a long and difficult path. It’s important to be here so that people feel that it’s not just words and promises, but that we’re really coming back and really waving our flag.”
The Ukrainian President’s visit to Kherson, just three days after the city’s liberation, was a surprise especially for the inhabitants. A small crowd quickly formed. An important moment for this couple: “In these cases, there is no reason to thinksays Volodymyr. There, it’s just feelings, emotions.” “He is a real president who did not abandon our country when it was difficult”says Irina.
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Hand on heart, like other civilian and military officials present, Volodymyr Zelensky sang the national anthem as the Ukrainian flag was raised in front of the regional administration building in central Kherson. According to photos posted on Telegram, the Ukrainian leader also walked the streets of the city in military uniform, surrounded by heavily armed bodyguards, without however wearing a helmet or bulletproof vest himself.
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What has been hard in Kherson has been the last eight months of occupation. The city lived under Russian rule, as Natalia explains, her eyes wet next to her son waving a blue and yellow flag.
“With the Russians, there was a complete absence of freedom. We were afraid to go out into the streets because the soldiers had automatic weapons. They were everywhere.”
Natalia, Ukrainianat franceinfo
A real relief therefore for these inhabitants of Kherson and this festive atmosphere which continues despite the power cuts or network cuts which are still relevant. And then, there are these explosions which still resonate Monday noon and which contrast with this apparent normality in the city. What is also striking in Kherson is that there are no destroyed buildings around us. Life seems to go on almost peacefully, even if some are still worried about reprisals from the Russian army and therefore possible new bombardments on the city.
Volodymyr Zelensky in Kherson – Agathe Mahuet and Gilles Gallinaro