Key Takeaways:
– Russian invaders face difficulties in maintaining critical infrastructure within the temporarily occupied territory (TOT) of the Kherson region.
– Citizens, even in areas not proximal to frontline combat, lack basic necessities such as electricity, water, gas, and mobile communications.
– Occupational authorities continue to enforce residents to acquire Russian legal documentation, and noncompliance results in restrictions and lost benefits.
– The healthcare sector is facing a severe crisis, marked by a lack of medicines and skilled professionals.
– The Russian military is allegedly threatening to seize unregistered vehicles at checkpoints.
Critical Infrastructure Collapses in TOT
The Kherson region’s temporarily occupied territories (TOT) are reportedly experiencing a critical infrastructural breakdown. The ongoing Russian occupation has left many citizens without access to basic utilities, including electricity, water, gas, and mobile communications. Even areas far removed from the front line are equally affected. This is primarily due to the invaders’ inability to keep essential infrastructure up and running.
Unattended Fires and Unreliable Ambulance Services
The situation has escalated to alarming levels as standard emergency services like firefighters and ambulances are reportedly disregarding distress calls. Residents are forced to tackle fires independently due to lack of official response. Similarly, ambulances apparently fail to arrive promptly if at all, leaving people in dire straits.
Healthcare Crisis in the TOT
The healthcare industry within the TOT is described as grim. There is a pronounced shortage of both essential medicines and qualified healthcare professionals. Russian invaders have apparently shown scant interest in rectifying the situation. Their attempts so far have involved importing medical students from distant regions of Russia. However, it appears that these novice practitioners mostly serve Russian inhabitants, leaving the locals in the lurch.
Russian Documents Enforcement
Beyond these infrastructural issues, Kherson’s residents are further burdened by the occupational authorities’ insistence on obtaining Russian documentation. Residents who do not possess a Russian passport by February 5 will be forcibly registered as controlled persons. The consequences range from being driven out of their homeland to securing a residence permit.
Restrictions and Denying Benefits
Moreover, non-Russian passport holders will not be able to transact with banks, register real estate, operate vehicles, or formalize marriage under the new order. Further, victims of AIDS, diabetes, asthma, or cancer, who do not own a Russian passport, will be stripped off their benefits.
Threats at Checkpoints
On top of the aforementioned issues, local residents claim to have been threatened by the Russian military at checkpoints regarding their unregistered vehicles. The military allegedly threatens to confiscate such vehicles for the needs of the self-styled “armed forces.”
Inability to Recharge Mobile Accounts
Without a Russian passport, locals are finding it impossible to recharge their mobile phone accounts. The invaders seem to be leveraging this as a strategy to track down mobile number owners.
Despite these struggles, the Ukrainian Armed Forces managed to liberate the right bank of the Kherson region in 2022, including Kherson city. However, the left bank areas of the Dnipro River remain under Russian occupation. The locals continue to combat these hardships within their lands, showing resilience in the face of relentless challenges.