Within the battered southern metropolis of Kherson, the place Russian drone strikes and artillery goal civilians day by day, residents cling to traditions for each a semblance of normality and as an act of defiance.
This 12 months, identical to yearly earlier than the beginning of the full-scale conflict, Kherson locals baked Easter bread, gathered with family members, and located methods to have fun life amid the destruction attributable to conflict. The injuries of Russian occupation nonetheless run deep, and so Easter gives a uncommon second of solace amid lingering questions — like who resisted the Russian occupation and who might have collaborated with the occupiers.
Ukrainian photographer Stanislav Ostrous traveled to Kherson for this 12 months's Easter celebrations — a uncommon event when each Orthodox and Catholic Easter fell on the identical day — and spoke with locals about residing via the Russian occupation, how the conflict has formed their lives, and what it means to have fun Easter in a metropolis nonetheless beneath fixed risk.
Pavlo Khomych, a 54-year-old entrepreneur, does his greatest to smile and keep optimistic — even after a Russian strike practically killed him and his spouse in their very own house.
"The primary factor is we survived," he informed the Kyiv Unbiased.
Through the occupation, the couple had packed their baggage, able to flee. However the second they heard Kherson had been liberated, their resolution was made: They might keep.
Khomych refused to simply accept Russian rubles, saying he "solely accepted hryvnias" on the uncommon events he bought objects through the occupation. He didn't return to promoting objects till the household financial savings ran out — and once they may, he and his spouse introduced meals to neighborhoods in want.
Requested what he thought of the opportunity of Russian forces returning to town, he didn’t hesitate: "Kherson was by no means conquered! No, no means! That's not even up for dialogue!"
Yuliia Korniienko, a 40-year-old café proprietor and devoted volunteer in Kherson, has weathered the horrors of occupation with resilience and dedication. Regardless of the continuing risks — together with the ever-present risk of drone attacks — Korniienko stays targeted on serving to others, particularly the navy and civilians in want.
This Easter, her café despatched 90 handmade Easter truffles to troopers on the entrance traces.
"We acquired suggestions and a photograph report from the chaplain — it makes us completely happy," she shared, describing the method of adorning every cake herself. It's a small act of kindness in a metropolis that's seen far an excessive amount of violence.
Korniienko's motivation to remain in Kherson is evident: her husband serves within the navy, and serving to these round her is what retains her going. Although drones have focused her metropolis and even come near her personal life, she continues to help her neighborhood, delivering help to kids, moms, and people bedridden on account of accidents.
And whereas she finds function in serving to others, the hazard by no means feels far. The worst, she stated, are the drones. "With a glide bomb, you get a warning. You may cover. However drones — you solely discover them once they're already there, once you hear them."
The Easter celebrations this 12 months have been a stark distinction to these through the occupation. Now, Kherson residents are in a position to attend church companies and bless their Easter breads.
"The chaplain got here, shortly learn a prayer, blessed our truffles," Korniienko defined, "and informed us that if we are able to't go to church, we must always simply say a prayer at house and bless the truffles ourselves."
Photographer Mykola Koshelyuk, 64, recounted how an harmless picture nearly bought him despatched to a Russian torture chamber through the occupation. An FSB creator approached him after he photographed some grapevines he observed wrapped round wires, not understanding that the close by constructing was being utilized by Russian occupation forces to torture civilians.
For Koshelyuk, the day Kherson was lastly liberated felt like one thing out of a dream. Locals have been gathered close to a neighborhood spot the place there was a generator, when out of the blue Ukrainian troopers appeared, a Ukrainian flag adorned on their automobile. Locals held their breaths, afraid it could be some provocation. "Then it began: vehicles honking continuous! Women on Freedom Sq. have been shouting, 'Ours!' It was unbelievable!" he recalled.
Nonetheless, he couldn’t assist however really feel a flicker of disbelief when, in a metropolis plunged into whole blackout, the primary gear introduced in was for placing up a flagpole.
Viktor Fedyk, 62, wasn’t house when the Russians seized Kherson — he was at sea, on a voyage close to Rostov. On November 11 of fall 2022, whereas driving a bus collectively together with his spouse, a message got here via: Kherson is liberated.
"The entire bus erupted," he recalled. "Everybody was shouting."
However pleasure turned shortly to horror. Again in Kherson, their house in Kindiyka — a district alongside the Dnipro River now thought of one of many metropolis’s most harmful — got here beneath assault. A drone dropped a grenade proper exterior their window.
"I opened the window, and it exploded," he stated. He was concussed. And that was only the start.
One evening, an explosion rocked the neighborhood. A neighbor ran to their door, shouting for assist. Whereas they handled one wounded man inside, one other lay exterior within the freezing chilly. The drone returned, buzzing overhead.
"I couldn't get to him," he stated. "It hovered over him the entire time." When the drone lastly flew off, he rushed out and utilized a tourniquet — however the man bled out within the automobile earlier than reaching security.
"That was the second I informed my spouse: 'That’s it, Sveta. We're performed.'" They moved to the Tavriyskyi district, somewhat farther from the entrance traces.
Now, like so many others in Kherson, he retains shut watch on drone exercise on-line, understanding how shortly the risk can return. Nonetheless, he refuses to simply accept the concept that Russia may reclaim town.
"God forbid our authorities ever agrees to that. It could be a betrayal of the whole Ukrainian folks," he stated. "So many lives have been misplaced. Kherson is my favourite metropolis. I've traveled rather a lot — however there's no place extra pricey to me."
The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak