The Ukrainian city of Kherson has known its first two days of quiet after many years, as a US-brokered temporary ceasefire has allowed residents rare moments of respite from the constant Russian aerial attacks that plague the front line region. Videos posted on social media showed people strolling down streets covered in anti-drone nets and gathering in the city's squares - ordinary activities that usually mean keeping one eye on the sky and one ear out for incoming drones. "Ever since the ceasefire was announced, there's been total silence," said Olga, 42, speaking by phone from Kherson.
"We are all, of course, overjoyed." "I don't even know what to call it," she added, her smile coming through in her voice. "It's as if everything has finally come to an end." Since Tuesday, Kherson has "literally come back to life," Ukraine's human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said. "People are calmly going out, walking, enjoying the autumn sun.
What for some is ordinary everyday life, for residents of the Kherson region today is the greatest desire." The temporary pause in hostilities - due to end on Sunday - is the result of efforts by US First Lady Melania Trump to broker a safe passage out of the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky, which lies on the other side of the Dnipro river from Kherson. For several days, Russian forces have been working to clear the road of mines, ahead of a planned evacuation of Oleshky's civilians on Friday. But there are fears that, alongside carrying out the well-publicised "humanitarian operation" – which some American journalists will be invited to witness – the Russians are using the truce to bolster their forces in the area ahead of a renewed onslaught of Kherson from next week.
"They are... using this lull to strengthen their positions, bring in more military supplies, weapons, ammunition, and drones, and carry out some redeployment of their forces," an anonymous source working in local government told the BBC. Petro Andriushchenko, Director of Ukraine's Center for Studying the Occupation, says Kherson locals have told him that they witnessed a military build-up around Radensk, some 20km (12 miles) from Oleshky. Its residents will be saved but "we are simultaneously giving the enemy an opportunity to exploit the ceasefire for its own military purposes," he said.
Once the ceasefire ends, the situation may be "worse than we saw before, because Russia's units will be stronger. They have enough time to prepare to prolong this action." Though Kherson residents are clear-eyed about what lies ahead, for a brief period this week the city caught its breath. No violations have been reported on either side since Tuesday.
There have been other ceasefires in the past, but these were generally not respected, Kherson resident Dima said. "This is the first time the shelling has stopped, people don't quite believe it," he told the BBC. "They are going to the shops, drinking coffee, walking around...
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