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A few days ago, Oleksandr Antonenko could still sit on this balcony.
Then, on November 24, his apartment was badly damaged in a Russian attack on the residential area in Kherson.
The blasts blew windows out of their frames and destroyed a wall.
Still, Antonenko and his 82-year-old mother stayed in the ruins, remembering the horrors of the attack.
Liudmyla Antonenko, resident
“The window filled with light, the whole room was illuminated. Then there were many explosions. Then it calmed down, and then it started again. There were two or three series of attacks. We were so scared. I'm glad my son is still here. If the rocket had landed four to a foot closer, I wouldn't be here. But I'm 82 years old, that's no big deal.«
At least there is one ray of hope: Shortly before their departure, the Russians cut off the power supply in Cherson.
Around 17 percent of households are now connected to the electricity grid again.
So did the Antonenkos.
Oleksandr Antonenko, resident
“We have gas, we have electricity. I wish we had water too, then we could use the toilet properly.”
Liudmyla Antonenko, resident
"We've really been waiting for television to come back."
Oleksandr Antonenko, resident
'But no transmitter is working yet. Provisionally."
Other residents were hit even harder by the rocket attack.
Liliia Khrytenko, local resident
»
There was a lot of dust, you couldn't see anything.
My son and I hid in the bathroom.
I heard my father scream.
I should call an ambulance because my mother was injured.
But I couldn't call an ambulance, there was no cell phone reception.
I went outside with my child and my mother was lying face down and covered in blood in the porch.
My father sat next to her and said he was going to die.
That is so unfair.
What have you done?
They were great people.
It's very hard, I don't know how to survive this.
god help me please
«
The Cherson region was occupied by Russian forces for around nine months.
On November 11, the Ukrainian army recaptured the city of Kherson.
Since then, the area has been repeatedly under Russian fire.
