Special correspondent in Kherson

Olha Chernyshova has always enjoyed strolling the streets of Kherson. Khersonhis hometown on the banks of the Dnieper. His small family home has the advantage of overlooking the river, just a two-minute walk away. But since the liberation of the city on November 11, 2022, after eight months of Russian occupation, the end of his street has become the front line. The face-off between the two armies takes place on the riverbank, where lovers used to rendezvous and families used to have sunset photo sessions. From her window, Olha can now see the Russian positions. Three times, incendiary bombs have burnt down her neighbors’ houses, but miraculously hers is still intact.

In the face of the bombardments, new rules govern her daily life, as they do that of the 80,000 people left behind in the city. Khersonof the city’s 280,000 inhabitants in 2022. Gone are the days of strolling along the river or even outside. You’ll have to park in…