The Grim Reality of a Once-Joyful Ukrainian City

Kherson, a Ukrainian city near the Black Sea, was seized by Russian forces in March 2022 and recaptured by Ukrainian forces in November. However, instead of enjoying the fruits of liberation, Kherson is now a kill zone. The Russians are hammering it harder than ever, and civilians are getting killed here more than anywhere else, except perhaps along the front line in the eastern Donbas region. The military's plans remain top secret and mysterious even to the people who live here. People are leaving, and businesses are closing.