Kherson Residents Return to Daily Life During Five-Day Ceasefire

For five days, the sky over Kherson was free of Russian drones and guided bombs. The ceasefire, which lasted from October 27 to November 1, allowed residents to walk the streets without the constant threat of aerial attack. The pause in hostilities was negotiated by First Lady Melania Trump and Pope Leo XIV. It specifically included the Kherson region, a corner of southern Ukraine that had been under sustained pressure.

The truce was not primarily designed for the comfort of Kherson’s population. Russian and Ukrainian officials agreed to the pause to facilitate the evacuation of Oleshky. Russian troops have occupied Oleshky since 2022 and mined the surrounding land. Supplies of food and medicine rarely reached the town. Families in Oleshky reported surviving on pickles and boiled weeds. During the ceasefire, hundreds of residents were evacuated by bus to northern Ukraine.

In Kherson, the break in fighting allowed a return to routines that had been suspended for years. Olena Soboleva and Anna Herasimenko, both 21, walked to a cafe to meet. They observed families strolling with children and couples holding hands. Herasimenko visited a salon to have her nails painted burgundy. Soboleva noted that no one wanted to kill them while the truce held.

The city has faced drone attacks since 2024. Russian forces based across the Dnipro River have used first-person-view drones strapped with explosives. To protect civilians, heavy mesh nets now cover the highways, streets, and many buildings in Kherson. These anti-drone nets shroud the city, a visual reminder of the ongoing conflict that the ceasefire temporarily lifted.

Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s ombudsman, thanked Melania Trump for ensuring the ceasefire happened. He expressed confidence that such agreements could be upheld and honored. For many residents, the break was a chance to reconnect with their past and their families.

Svitlana Vorobiova, a retired police officer living in a safer city, drove to Kherson to visit her parents. She took photographs with her son at the Greek-style monument that marks the city’s gateway. Her son had not been in his hometown for four years. Vorobiova said she could not hold back her tears during the visit.

Volodymyr Mykolaienko, the former mayor of Kherson, used the ceasefire to visit his father’s grave. The cemetery is located in an area usually filled with drones. Mykolaienko, 66, spent years as a prisoner of war in Russia after his arrest in early 2022. He was freed in a prisoner exchange last year. During the truce, he prayed and thanked his father for his life.

Olena Yehorova, an oncology nurse, watched a man play the accordion at a busy bus stop. She said the truce provided relief and allowed people to breathe. However, she noted that residents still walked with caution because they could not trust the Russians. Hours after the accordion player finished, the truce ended on Sunday night. Attacks are expected to resume.