{"id":5233,"date":"2023-12-28T19:32:28","date_gmt":"2023-12-28T19:32:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pan.thatscommunication.de\/when-the-city-is-occupied\/"},"modified":"2026-10-13T08:25:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T08:25:15","slug":"when-the-city-is-occupied","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pan.thatscommunication.de\/en\/when-the-city-is-occupied\/","title":{"rendered":"When the City is Occupied"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kherson, the Ukrainian port city on the Dnipro, was occupied by Russian invading forces for nine months. The city was gripped by fear, terror, torture, and destruction. Yet, there were also collaborators on the Ukrainian side. A first-hand account from the liberated city, which still lies on the front line. <\/span>By Anna Pattermann, Chairwoman of Unlimited Democracy.<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

In the summer of 2023, I set off for the Kherson region to experience the historic war first-hand. Although it might sound unusual, curiosity drove me. After all, Hiram Warren Johnson was right when he said that in war, truth is the first casualty. My thinking was that I couldn’t do effective awareness-raising work in Austria without developing a practical understanding of the war myself and experiencing what it was truly like for the people on the ground. <\/span><\/p>\n

As a volunteer, I noticed as early as the third month of the full-scale invasion how a normalisation of the war and signs of fatigue were setting in. I hoped that the experiences on the ground would give me the necessary strength to remain active. Sometimes I caught myself forgetting about the war in safe Vienna. But then I suddenly received a call from Yulia, a doctor from the Kherson region. When I cheerfully asked her how she was, I heard her voice say: \u201cIn the last few days, the Russians have shelled us more frequently again; a house with people inside was destroyed.\u201d At that moment, the grim grip pulled me back to the reality of my country. <\/span><\/p>\n

Determined, I drove through the Kherson region to speak with the local population. Kherson, a southern Ukrainian port city with around 40,000 inhabitants, was occupied for over nine months. On 29 September 2022, Russian President Putin signed a decree declaring the Russian-occupied territories of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia as independent (Russia followed the pattern of annexation, as had already been the case in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions since 2014). <\/span><\/p>\n

Dam Blown Up by the Russians<\/span><\/h5>\n

During the occupation, the residents of the Kherson region experienced, among other things, the largest ecological and humanitarian catastrophe in the course of the Russian war. On 6 June 2023, the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant (the largest on the Dnipro River) north of Kherson, controlled by the Russian army, was blown up. A flood wave subsequently inundated a total of 80 settlements on both sides of the Dnipro River. 40,000 people were affected, 20,000 of whom were evacuated. Numerous people lost their lives. <\/span><\/p>\n

Already at the beginning of the full-scale war, Russian troops had prioritised the conquest of the entire south of Ukraine and the creation of a ‘corridor’ to Transnistria (a Russian-controlled territory that is internationally recognised as part of the Republic of Moldova, editor’s note). The enemy relatively quickly captured Kherson but met with resistance in Mykolaiv. Mykolaiv was a front-line city during the first nine months of the war. It was constantly shelled by artillery, and Russian troops tried to capture it several times. Mykolaiv held out and received the title of ‘Hero City’. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Distribution

Distribution of basic aid supplies to the still suffering population in the Kherson region.<\/p><\/div>\n

I had visited the Kherson region as a child. On the way from the Crimean Peninsula, where we often spent our summers, we made a detour to the city of Kherson to buy the most delicious watermelons. Every Ukrainian knows they taste best there. I remembered the long market street, which was lively, slightly chaotic, and colourful. The contrast to the market street in 2023, after de-occupation, could not have been greater. Now it was devastated, damaged, riddled with holes, and mined. <\/span><\/p>\n

Humans and Animals are Victims of War<\/span><\/h5>\n

As we drove into the area, various emotions overwhelmed me. Partially they were positive, because despite the evil that had taken hold, there still seemed to be a light at the end. Right at the ‘Kherson Region’ sign, a group of homeless dogs awaited us. If you decide to go there, please remember to take food for the four-legged friends. The dogs are also victims of this war and suffer under the new circumstances. Unfortunately, not everyone manages to evacuate their four-legged companions during shelling. <\/span><\/p>\n

Seeking Shelter During Air Raid Sirens<\/span><\/h5>\n

Shortly after our arrival in Kherson, the siren sounded. Our guide Oleksandr knew his way around well. While sirens were often ignored in other parts of the country, in Kherson it was advisable to seek shelter. We were on our way to the villages to distribute humanitarian aid. At the first siren, Oleksandr immediately told us that we should drive back to the city. \u201cThey will certainly attack the bridge,\u201d he said. The bridge was the only exit from the city, directly in front of the Russian-occupied territories. If you ask me today about my associations with Kherson, I answer: \u201cThe constant sound of gunfire.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

I found the drive along the enormous Antonivka Bridge particularly impressive. We had to pass this section quickly. \u201cIt\u2019s a dangerous road,\u201d Oleksandr said. I was told that the newly mobilised Russians shoot here to prepare for the battlefield, often at civilians. Oleksandr reported that many people on this road were killed by snipers. A British sniper was deployed, hiding for a week to expose the Russians. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Destruction. In the war of annihilation against Ukraine, Putin’s terror troops leave only destruction.<\/p><\/div>\n

It was both gruesome and fascinating to observe how the occupation unfolded in the 21st century. The Russians began by occupying government buildings in Kherson, including all city administrations. Kherson was the only regional capital they conquered. <\/span><\/p>\n

They Shoot at Anything and Everyone<\/span><\/h5>\n

On 24 February, Kherson was completely sealed off, but the Russians did not dare to enter until 1 March. They initially bypassed the city and went to Chornobaivka. This immediately encircled the city, stopping supplies from Ukraine. There was complete anarchy. <\/span><\/p>\n

The first wave of Russian soldiers was particularly devastating. They entered at night and shot at anyone who crossed their path, young or old, because they didn’t know from whom the danger was coming. A 19-year-old woman died when she couldn’t even make it four metres to her house on the main street. There are no precise statistics yet on the number of dead; many are considered missing. <\/span><\/p>\n

Daily Patrols and Looting<\/span><\/h5>\n

In the first days of the occupation, Russian military vehicles patrolled the Antonivka Bridge for 6-8 hours daily, accompanied by helicopters. People didn’t know what was happening or what would happen. <\/span><\/p>\n

On 1 and 2 March, when Russian troops marched in, they looted factories and shops. There was chaos. Around Kherson, occupying forces confiscated cars on the street or broke into garages. People were beaten and plundered. The occupying power denied access to medicines. Patients at the Oncology Centre went into the street and begged passers-by for water. The Russians committed genocide to destroy the population. <\/span><\/p>\n

Prices Rose Due to Scarce Supply<\/span><\/h5>\n

During the looting, Ukrainian seniors also took goods from shops. Some complained, but they argued that they would have nothing to eat later. Shops that reopened raised prices due to the scarce supply of goods. <\/span><\/p>\n

Families Were Hunted, Tortured, and Killed<\/span><\/h5>\n

The occupying power searched numerous houses, especially those of Ukrainian defenders who had fought against the Russian invasion since 2014. These families were hunted, tortured, and killed. Their homes were the first to be burned down. Torture chambers are found in the liberated areas. <\/span><\/p>\n

On 13 March, massive protests against the Russian occupation erupted, accompanied by the Ukrainian flag. But the activists were quickly arrested, many disappeared without a trace. This successfully suppressed the wave of protests. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Something still preoccupies me. Before I left, I read Viktor Frankl’s work \u201cMan’s Search for Meaning\u201d. In it, he describes the phenomenon of emotional burnout. If one repeatedly witnesses immoral and brutal scenes, it can happen that one no longer has any emotions to react, and simply passes by silently. One of the most shocking stories I heard in Kherson was about how people organised and burned piles of bodies in a backyard. They told me how they perceived the stench, and everyone knew what was happening there. But what can you say to an armed man? <\/span><\/p>\n

Emotionlessness as a Consequence of Horror<\/span><\/h5>\n

The most terrifying thing was that, despite its shocking nature, this story was the least emotionally charged event in my conversations with the residents. God alone knows what they experienced and felt for it to ever come to that. <\/span><\/p>\n

Witnesses unanimously claimed that the situation in the city itself was not as bad as in the surrounding villages. Many residents hung signs on their doors saying \u201cChildren here\u201d, hoping that this message would move Russian troops to mercy. Although such attempts to appeal to the humanity of the Russians were often made during the war, there was no guarantee. How cruel the events would actually be was shown, for example, by the theatre incident in Mariupol. <\/span><\/p>\n

Bombing of the Theatre<\/span><\/h5>\n

On 16 March 2022, a Russian fighter jet dropped a bomb on the theatre in Mariupol, Ukraine. The theatre served as a refuge for civilians and was marked with large, clearly visible Russian letters \u201cChildren\u201d both at the front and back. Several hundred people lost their lives in this attack. The exact number of victims is not known, as the Russian occupation administration buried the bodies in a mass grave and completely cleared the building’s rubble. <\/span><\/p>\n

Deportation. The authorities of the Kherson region have reported over 245 orphaned children without parental care who are living in Russia or temporarily occupied territories due to deportation. By April 2023, Ukraine had managed to repatriate 51 children. The children report being punished for refusing to sing the Russian anthem. <\/span><\/p>\n

This phenomenon, where people are deported and the population of a warring country is settled instead, is called \u201cpopulation exchange\u201d or \u201cethnic cleansing\u201d. These are often violent strategies used during armed conflicts to change the demographic composition of an area or to exclude or expel an ethnic or religious group. These are serious human rights violations and contravene international laws and agreements. <\/span><\/p>\n

Warnings Came Via Social Media<\/span><\/h5>\n

The occupation in the Kherson region was characterised by constant patrols. Numerous warnings were issued via social media, such as \u201cAttention! Soldiers are in my street\u201d. There was permanent checking of documents, personal belongings, and mobile phones. One woman told me that she always carried two mobile phones: an older one that she showed to the Russian soldiers, and another that she had to hide from her child. <\/span><\/p>\n

The role of social media like Telegram was particularly interesting. This platform allowed civilians to inform each other about the movements of soldiers via chat messages. There were even evacuation groups that shared current information about escape routes from the city. A girl from Mariupol told me how she had started a group via Telegram dedicated to missing persons. Many people found each other through this group. On the other hand, the Russians used these channels to recruit more collaborators among Ukrainians. Unfortunately, they succeeded in finding people online who were willing to betray their own mother for money. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The definition of collaborators has changed significantly throughout Ukraine’s history. The circumstances under which someone is considered a collaborator vary depending on the prevailing ideology and government. An example from my own family history is my maternal great-grandfather, Philipp, who was the head of a food warehouse. <\/span><\/p>\n

During the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, he once gave extra food to a large family during the Holodomor. As punishment, he was deported and spent 20 years in Kolyma. Today, collaborators are considered people who support and cooperate with the Russian terrorist government. <\/span><\/p>\n

Panic and the Feeling of Powerlessness<\/span><\/h5>\n

I remember my fear and panic on the second day of the full-scale invasion, when I almost lost my mind. I read many news reports online about collaborators in my city who were leaving markers for the Russian invading forces, especially on high-rise buildings, to occupy the city overnight. This terrible panic and feeling of powerlessness are still very present with me. I was ready to accept that my city could be under Russian control if I only slept for two hours. I wouldn’t wish the terrible events in Bucha and Irpin on anyone, anywhere in the world. But the thought that my mother could experience something like that breaks my heart and fills me with panic. <\/span><\/p>\n

In summary, collaborators today are people who provide information to the Russian government, for which Ukrainians have to pay a high price. The Russians are interested in knowing the position of our critical infrastructure to sabotage it, as they did last winter (2022-2023). Being without light or heating in winter, especially during the Ukrainian cold, is an effective means of manipulating the population. It is primarily a psychological war against the population. Collaborators are also interested in the position of our soldiers, our supplies, our railway, to destroy all of this. <\/span><\/p>\n

I also heard about the role of collaborators in the Kherson region. The locals felt very threatened because of them. Today your neighbour might seem normal, but tomorrow she could suddenly show a Russian passport and point at you. It is reminiscent of the times of the USSR: you couldn’t criticise the government anywhere, otherwise you would disappear. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Fear of Being Betrayed by Your Neighbour<\/span><\/h5>\n

Not even in conversation with a friend on the street. That was also the case in Kherson during the Russian occupation. Nobody felt safe enough to speak loudly. Otherwise, you could disappear or fall out of a window. The thought that many people in Kherson lived for months in constant stress and acute fear breaks my heart. <\/span><\/p>\n

A woman who worked in the library in Kherson said that she had resigned after the occupation, like many others. Six months after the occupation, she went to the library to pick up a doll’s house. On that day, representatives of the occupying power were there. The Russians spoke to her and asked why she was taking it. Everyone would come back to the library, everything would soon normalise, they claimed. <\/span><\/p>\n

Occupiers Spoke of Returning to the USSR<\/span><\/h5>\n

But the woman retorted that people from Crimea and Donbas had fled from them. It would not normalise. The man told her that Russia would be here forever, and that would allow the people in the Kherson region to live like in the USSR. This Ukrainian woman was speechless; she knew at that moment that this man was completely insane and living in a completely different reality. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Simple aid deliveries also included toys for the children, who are to return to a normal life.<\/p><\/div>\n

The sad stories about the Buryats are also worth mentioning. All witnesses of the occupation reported their experiences with the Buryats, an ethnic minority in Russia. One woman recalled an episode from the first days of the occupation when four soldiers came to her: two Russians, a Chechen, and a Buryat. The two Russians immediately explained to the woman that they had now conquered this area and would therefore be accommodated in the neighbouring house where her daughter used to live. Meanwhile, a Buryat placed an electric kettle on the stove. The woman laughed and described the astonished face of the Buryat when he saw that the kettle was melting because it was not suitable for a normal gas stove. Another child from Irpin told how they had to watch a Buryat first steal their mother’s underwear and then open a drawer with jewellery. <\/span><\/p>\n

Costume Jewellery Sparkles More Than Real Gold<\/span><\/h5>\n

Inside were both real gold jewellery and simple costume jewellery. The child admired the Buryat and said: \u201cHe stole the costume jewellery because it sparkled more than the gold.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Conclusions: After all the stories and observations, it has become clear to me that an occupation means losing all sense of security and never finding it again. Not even within your own four walls, because soldiers can appear at your door at any time. They could kill you, rape you, rob you, humiliate you, and torture you. You lose the ability to plan; your former life is gone. There is no work for you anymore, no school for your child. The only thing left to you is your body (in the sense of Viktor Frankl’s description). <\/span><\/p>\n

And even that you only possess until a Russian soldier claims it for himself. Soldiers with weapons always have the right to say: \u201cNow this is my home. Now this is my car. Now everything belongs to me. Now you belong to me too, and then you belong to my colleague Vasya, Petya, Vasily, Mikhail, Sergey, Pasha\u2026\u201d Occupation means being in a constant state of heightened vigilance for your own survival. <\/span><\/p>\n

During the occupation, you don’t know whom you can trust, because even people whose values revolve around money can betray you for a few pennies. Occupation means being forced to publicly reject your country, your flag, and your culture, because they can kill you for it. People have literally hidden the Ukrainian flag in preserving jars and buried them in their gardens. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Occupier with the Weapon is ‘Right’<\/span><\/h5>\n

Occupation means that foreign men with weapons roam through your city, inspecting you, your body, your tattoos, your belongings, your mobile phone, and you must comply with the will of a soldier standing next to you. And he might already dislike how you looked at him, and for that, you could end up in a pit, a pit where they burn bodies without fear of consequences. <\/span><\/p>\n

c Photos: Anna Pattermann<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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