Ukraine

I’ve been reporting from Kherson since February 2023.

I was there soon after the city was first liberated. Back then, the threat felt distant. Russian forces had retreated across the river, blowing the bridges behind them. There was destruction, but there was also relief. People were coming back. Life was trying to restart.

Over the past three years, I’ve watched that change.

Kherson has become something else entirely. A city under constant pressure. A city where the front line isn’t visible, but it’s everywhere.

This trip was different.

I was given rare access to the 34th Marine Brigade operating in Antonivka, one of the most dangerous areas in Kherson, right on the edge of the river, just hundreds of meters from Russian positions. I joined them on patrol as they hunted drones.

At the same time, I spent days moving through the city, documenting what daily life looks like now under relentless bombardment.

The scale has changed dramatically.

Last year, at the peak, Kherson saw around 330 attacks in a single day. Just days ago, that number exceeded 600 in 24 hours. The intensity has doubled. The tactics have evolved. New types of drones, faster strikes, constant surveillance from above.

And yet, there is almost no international coverage of what is happening here.

This film is an attempt to show that reality as honestly and as closely as possible.

I left the (stupid) clickbait title, but appended that it's a report from Kherson to make the title useful. 😬 Unless you know the person and their reports, the title doesn't say anything without it. At least the description does. It's a valuable frontline report either way, from a great journalist.