Locals clean up their houses after Russian forces, preparing to meet AFU - military officer on liberated Kherson region

The Ukrainian Armed Forces serviceman, Ihor Sholtys, is currently in the liberated territories of the Kherson region. According to him, the humanitarian situation is difficult, but people are happy and joyfully welcome the Ukrainian military.

“The greatest thing I remember is the people here who speak Ukrainian fluently,” Ihor Sholtys said. “They don't make any effort to communicate with us in Ukrainian, but really speak Ukrainian, address us, have information about Ukrainian history and the history of their region, as well as know all our Ukrainian slogans. There were many cases when the locals quickly cleaned up their houses where the occupiers lived, preparing to meet Ukraine's Armed Forces. They meet us with tears, with hugs, with goodies and with slogans “Glory to Ukraine”.

Ihor Sholtys notes that the liberation of the region was not easy. After all, powerful battles continued all the time.

“There were artillery duels and shooting battles,” Ihor Sholtys added. “Of course, there were a large number of dead and wounded, as often happens during an offensive. But the units of Ukraine's Armed Forces did not stop and intensively continued counteroffensive actions. For the most part, the Russian troops left behind a large-scale household mess. And when they left, they also looted all possible property that could be of any value. They took people's personal belongings. Some things that do not contain value, but it seemed to them that it can be stolen and benefited even with such a shameful escape. The de-occupation of the right-bank part of the Kherson region is now at the final stage. After all, our units are facing great difficulties due to mining. The Russian forces mine forest strips and roads. And in some places it is difficult to identify the location of mines. That's why there are also cases when our guys die while clearing populated areas before finally approving their release by Ukraine's Armed Forces.”