The Ukrainian authorities know that the hard times have now begun and remind us that the winter ahead will be harsh
By Athena Papakosta
The Russians are still pounding Kherson in southern Ukraine with their artillery. It has only been a few weeks since Russian troops withdrew from the first and only regional capital they held. However, having now passed to the opposite (eastern) side of the Dnieper River, they continue to attack the area day and night.
The inhabitants of Chersona are now fleeing. The town has no heating, electricity and water. Schools are not working, but neither are public services, while residents have to wait in line for food. At the same time, civilians fall dead and homes are destroyed. Since November 9, when Russian forces withdrew from the city, 32 civilians have been killed.
Therefore, either with their vehicles, or with trucks or organized by trains, those who are still alive evacuate the city of Kherson and its neighboring towns. Those who choose to stay behind this time too, are waiting for the shelters which the military authority of the city has already equipped with ovens, beds, first aid boxes and fire extinguishers.
In the field, eastern Ukraine (from the north to the south) remains engulfed in the flames of the war that has now lasted nine months. Zaporizhia and Dnipro were targeted over the weekend. Donetsk also with five people losing their lives while in Kharkiv one with at least three civilians injured.
The weather conditions in the country complicate the outcome of the war. For neither side, the snow and rain do not make the situation any better, while the mud and frost make any new attack and/or counterattack difficult.
For their part, the Ukrainians are scrambling to fix what can be repaired after a barrage of Russian bombing in recent days.
The country’s state energy company, Ukrenergo, announced yesterday Sunday that it was serving 80% of demand, while on Saturday it was serving 75%. But the country still lives in the dark and the cold, and this is because the imposed blackouts continue even as a precaution to save energy.
Those who still have electricity are advised to consume it sparingly and not to turn on many electrical devices at the same time. Faced with energy consumption restrictions are 14 of Ukraine’s 27 regions as well as the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, according to Volodymyr Zelensky which corresponds the problem to 100,000 inhabitants per region.
“If consumption increases during the evening hours, the number of blackouts will increase. This shows the necessity of how important it is to save energy and consume it rationally” said the Ukrainian president in his evening speech.
The morale of the citizens remains high. Solidarity prevails as stories even of how tenants of apartment buildings in Kiev help each other make it to foreign news agencies. From the simplest, for example, leaving a flashlight in the hallway or elevator, to donating to charity initiatives to win over, as they say, “the enemy as soon as possible.”
Ukrainian authorities appeal for calm. They know that the hard times have now begun and they remind us that the upcoming winter will be hard and unforgettable in everyone’s memory. At the same time, they are well aware that Russia is expected to launch new attacks on infrastructure within the current week while the snowfall is not expected to stop before Wednesday with the temperature still hovering around zero.
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With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
