Kherson Oblast: Partially Occupied, Shelled, and Flooded, but Resilient 

Kherson Oblast has been a hotly and continually contested part of the front line since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Following Russia's near-complete occupation during the early weeks of the war, a significant portion of the region situated on the right (west) bank of the Dnipro River, including Kherson City, was liberated by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in November 2022. Russian forces still control the left (east) bank of the Dnipro River, constantly attacking the Ukraine-controlled part of the oblast. What are the biggest challenges Ukrainians in the region face, and how can allies help? Democracy Fellow Elina Beketova speaks with Yurii Sobolevskyi, First Deputy Head of Kherson Oblast Council, to discuss the current situation in Kherson Oblast.