After night of intense shelling, Kherson getting ready for impending Russian attack

The Guardian reported on Kherson residents preparing for the 56-hour curfew.

Following another night of intense Russian shelling, residents of Kherson, a crucial southern Ukrainian city, are hoarding food and water in anticipation of a 56-hour curfew scheduled to begin on Friday evening. Some locals have opted to remain indoors before the curfew and subsequent city closure, having either slept in their clothes or sought refuge in shelters due to the severity of the Russian attack. Others have sent family members outside the city or relocated to safer areas further from the river, as they expect major developments in the coming days with Ukrainian forces also increasing their shelling of Russian positions.

This week, the violence in Kherson has spiked significantly, resulting in the loss of 23 lives due to Russian attacks in the region. The assault on a supermarket proved to be particularly fatal, claiming the lives of eight individuals. There is growing speculation regarding the timing of the anticipated Ukrainian spring counteroffensive, which officials have suggested may be imminent.

Andriy Vanin, a 54-year-old resident of the northern part of the city, provided insight into the situation on Thursday morning. "We couldn’t sleep last night," he stated. "Until 1am it was very noisy with a lot of shelling. After 1am there was a break and we tried to sleep, then at 4.30am the Ukrainian artillery started shelling the Russian positions on the left bank."

He had to drive around the city and found myself near a location that was recently shelled. The experience felt like walking on a razor blade, leaving him hesitant to leave the house now. Starting tomorrow night, we will be under a strict curfew as announced by the authorities, prioritizing safety during what seems to be a counteroffensive. “Starting tomorrow night, we will be under a strict curfew as announced by the authorities, prioritizing safety during what seems to be a counteroffensive,” Mr Vanin said.

“Right now it’s quiet in my district. We are going out to buy drinking water and bread. There’s a couple of small markets nearby but we are going do it fast, like in half an hour, because of the shelling,” he added.

Kateryna Symonova, who previously owned a bar before the war and now works at the technical university, shared her experience of the bombing, describing the loud explosions that shook her entire apartment. In response, she and others sought refuge in the basement after the shelling began at 10pm.

“We assume they’ll start again today. Now they’re closing the city and I guess it means something big is coming. We have enough food and water and I’ve sent my parents out of Kherson so it’s just me and my husband.”

Although the curfew is set to begin the following evening, many have chosen to remain indoors due to the frightening prospect of venturing outside. Nevertheless, staying at home is also nerve-wracking.

According to Oleksandr Tolokonnikov, a representative for the Kherson regional administration, the previous day was challenging, with reports of the death of an 89-year-old woman at 8 pm. However, no further casualties have been reported since.

Tolokonnikov explained that the curfew and city closure were implemented to combat "saboteurs" and enable the Ukrainian military to target Russian positions across the Dnipro River. This measure allows for military operations to proceed unimpeded while civilians remain indoors.

• On the afternoon of May 3, invading Russian forces attacked Kherson, leaving 23 people killed, 46 wounded.

• Operational Command South's press center head Humeniuk called explosions at Sevastopol oil depot preparations for Ukrainian offensive.