The Ukrainian city of Kherson has experienced its first days of quiet in years, following a US-brokered temporary ceasefire that has allowed residents rare moments of respite from relentless Russian aerial attacks. Videos shared on social media depicted people strolling through streets adorned with anti-drone nets and gathering in city squares, activities previously overshadowed by constant vigilance.
"Since the ceasefire was announced, there's been total silence," said Olga, a 42-year-old resident, speaking by phone. "We are all, of course, overjoyed." Ukraine's human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets stated that Kherson had "literally come back to life" since Tuesday, with people calmly going out and enjoying the autumn sun.
The temporary pause in hostilities, scheduled to end Sunday, is the result of efforts by US First Lady Melania Trump to broker safe passage for civilians out of Oleshky, a Russian-occupied city across the Dnipro River from Kherson. Russian forces have been working to clear mines from roads ahead of a planned evacuation of Oleshky's civilians on Friday.
However, concerns are rising that Russia may be using the truce to bolster its forces in the region in preparation for a renewed assault on Kherson. An anonymous local government source told the BBC that Russia is utilizing the lull to strengthen positions, bring in more military supplies, weapons, ammunition, and drones, and conduct force redeployments.
Petro Andriushchenko, Director of Ukraine's Center for Studying the Occupation, reported that Kherson locals have observed a military buildup around Radensk, approximately 20 kilometers from Oleshky. He noted that while residents of Oleshky may be saved, the ceasefire also provides the enemy an opportunity to exploit the truce for military purposes, potentially leading to a stronger Russian presence after the ceasefire ends.
Despite the underlying concerns, Kherson residents have embraced the brief period of quiet. No violations have been reported by either side since Tuesday. Other ceasefires in the past have generally not been respected, according to Kherson resident Dima. "This is the first time the shelling has stopped, people don't quite believe it," he told the BBC. "They are going to the shops, drinking coffee, walking around... The city is alive."
Social media posts reflect a similar sense of disbelief. Yulia described an unusually uneventful trip to the supermarket, returning home "whole and calm, not as usual - scared, sweating from the horror and with a lump in my throat."
During the ceasefire, dozens of people have also been able to access their homes and belongings in areas of Kherson previously deemed too dangerous due to constant drone and artillery attacks. Czech volunteer Denisa Bohackova, who lives in Kherson, noted that some are venturing into places where it was previously almost certain death to be present.
Dima described scenes of families retrieving belongings from their apartments. Bohackova observed that the scale of destruction in some of these areas is "breathtaking," with many buildings reduced to shells or looted.
The population of Kherson has significantly decreased from over 250,000 to approximately 65,000 since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. Civilian life, though never fully halted, has endured under the conditions of an active battlefield, with essential services often moved underground.
Olga recounted experiences of regular blackouts, mines concealed by fallen leaves, ricocheting drone fragments, and a city that typically shut down by afternoon. The recent silence, however, allowed her to travel and visit her grandmother, observing full shops and cafes, and even a small traffic jam. "These few days showed us how it could be if it all finally ended,"
she said. However, with the evacuation of Oleshky due to conclude by Sunday, the concern remains that hostilities will resume, potentially with increased intensity.
"We know the strikes will resume, and that they will increase," said Dima, reflecting the city's cautious optimism mixed with apprehension about the approaching end of the ceasefire.