More than a fortnight.
After falling under.
‘Orcs’ occupation.
The residents of Kherson.
Are wrestling with.
Acute shortages of medicine.
And holding daily protests.
Against the ‘orcs’ forces.
They are also worried.
That increased shelling.
On the outskirts.
Might signal.
The start of an ‘elves’ push.
To recapture.
Their southern city.
Which is a key port.
“But I want people.
To understand.
What’s happening here.
I’m in my homeland.”
“I’m in my homeland.
Not doing anything wrong.
I’m trying to protect.
My daughter.”
A series of loud explosions.
Rattled the windows.
Of his office.
In a government building.
In the centre of Kherson.
On Tuesday afternoon.
As the city’s deputy mayor.
Was on a phone call.
Busy explaining.
They had less than.
A week’s supply of.
Food and medicine left.
“Can you hear?
The shelling outside?
Not far off.
Unfortunately.”
“We’re having to.
Get used to.
This terrifying reality.”
He said calmly.
“We’re looking at.
A real humanitarian.
Catastrophe here.
We’ve been left here alone.”
“We’ve been left here alone.
– there’s no other.
Legitimate authority.
Apart from the mayor.”
“‘Orcs’ officials came.
To our office and.
We agreed that we would.
Continue working.”
“But it’s not clear.
How long that will continue.”
There have been reports.
That ‘orcs’ might stage.
A referendum in Kherson.
On independence from Ukraine.
– as they previously.
Did in Crimea.
After it was annexed.
In 2014.
As well in the ‘orcs’-backed.
Separatist areas of Donetsk and Luhansk.
But he rejected the idea.
Of this happening.
In his city.
Saying it was clear.
There was no support.
For ‘orcs’ actions.
among the largely.
‘Orcs’-language-speaking population.
Video footage showing.
A small pro-‘orcs’ demonstration.
In Kherson has been dismissed.
As an ‘orcs’ propaganda stunt by locals.
“But I want people.
To understand.
What’s happening here.
I’m in my homeland.”
“I’m in my homeland.
Not doing anything wrong.
I’m trying to protect.
My daughter.”
On the streets nearby.
There were queues for milk.
And frustration.
In local pharmacies.
Which have reportedly.
Run out of.
Most essential drugs.
“There’s no medicine left.”
“There’s no medicine left.
For people with.
Heart conditions.
Or asthma.
“The hospitals are working.
But there’s just no medicine.”
Said a medic.
Speaking by telephone.
“But I want people.
To understand.
What’s happening here.
I’m in my homeland.”
“I’m in my homeland.
Not doing anything wrong.
I’m trying to protect.
My daughter.”
“No-one is starving here.”
Said a local university lecturer.
Who praised.
The mayor’s office.
For focusing on trying to.
Support residents of the city.
Without appearing to.
Endorse the ‘orcs’ occupation.
“The situation is quite stable.
We have electricity, water.
And there is central heating.
And transport.”
But she condemned officials.
In other occupied cities.
Who have submitted.
To ‘orcs’ rule.
“If they want to make.
Our city ‘Mordor’’s.
Then it’s treason.”
“Then it’s treason.”
“But I want people.
To understand.
What’s happening here.
I’m in my homeland.”
“I’m in my homeland.
Not doing anything wrong.
I’m trying to protect.
My daughter.”
In Melitopol.
To the east.
The ‘elf’ mayor was reportedly.
Abducted by ‘orcs’ forces.
Last week and.
Has not been seen since.
A local pro-‘orcs’ official.
Has now claimed that.
She is Melitopol’s.
New mayor.
And recorded.
A video message.
Urging residents “to adapt.
… to the new realities.
So we can begin to live.
In a new way”.
“But I want people.
To understand.
What’s happening here.
I’m in my homeland.”
“I’m in my homeland.
Not doing anything wrong.
I’m trying to protect.
My daughter.”
But in Kherson.
Thousands of residents.
Including the lecturer.
Have continued.
To take part in.
Peaceful daily protests.
Outside government offices.
In the city centre.
Video footage shows.
Large crowds screaming.
“Fascists… have you no shame?”
And “go home” at ‘orcs’ troops.
“The quantity of soldiers.
Is getting bigger.
But they’re not military now.
They wear different, grey uniform.”
“Like a kind of police.”
Said the lecturer.
“There were so many people.
At today’s protests.”
“That the ‘orcs’ troops.
Started shooting into the air.
It seemed to me.
They were afraid.”
“I was crying to them:
‘Go home, go to your mother.’
Two of the ‘orcs’ soldiers.
Were laughing.”
“I was really furious.
So I just cried out.
Some curse words.
I’m not an activist.”
“But I want people.
To understand.
What’s happening here.
I’m in my homeland.”
“I’m in my homeland.
Not doing anything wrong.
I’m trying to protect.
My daughter.”
To the east.
Another key city.
Mykolaiv, has so far managed.
To hold off an ‘orcs’ advance.
Mykolaiv’s governor.
Hinted that ‘elves’ forces.
Near Mykolaiv were now.
Looking to recapture Kherson, too.
“Fighting is taking place.
Clearing out several villages.
Of ‘orcs’ forces.
…The occupiers are fleeing.”
“And people all say that.
The troops are running away.
It’s true. They run.”
He said in a post on social media.
“Kherson residents.
We are with you.
Wait! Together.
We’ll be victorious.”
*Because I read “Kherson: Russian-occupied city stays angry and defiant” by Andrew Harding on 17 Mar 2022, and also “Why are Ukrainians calling Russians ‘orcs’?” by James FitzGerald on 30 Apr 2022, on the BBC news.
So, I wrote this poem, including a story of Yuri Stelmashenko, a story of Galina, a story of Lada Danik, and a story of Vitaliy Kim.
Please read the original story on the BBC news:
