Whenever lights went on in a building, everyone would think someone important was living there, says Antypenko on newly liberated Kherson
After the right bank of Kherson oblast was liberated, the reporters who were willing to work there received technical assistance from the people who cared. This enabled them to work relatively quickly and pass their materials to their editors.
Radio Liberty journalist Ivan Antypenko spoke about this in his interview with IMI.
He is from Kherson himself, but was forced to leave for Vinnytsia oblast first, and then move to Ivano-Frankivsk due to the occupation.
He came back to Kherson on November 13 – the second day after the city was liberated, at the time when it had no electricity, water or heating yet. He stayed in his friends' place because they had a mechanical gas boiler that does not need electricity to ignite. The house was warm, but had no light. Later, Ivan was given an Ecoflow (autonomous charging station. – Ed.) and could use electricity again.
"The house didn't have all the comforts of civilization, but someone gave me an Ecoflo. It was something very valuable at the time, everyone wanted one. On November 17 or 18, a light goes on in your house, and everyone thinks that it must be someone important living there, if the house has light," the journalist recalls.
His friends were also supporting him financially, sent him a first aid kit. Gradually, mobile and Internet connection and were restored in the city, enabling the reporter to send his materials out.
"In those first days, there was just euphoria. I'm not talking about the people walking the streets wrapped in flags. All this was incredible – people on the square meeting you, hugging you. You are glad to see them. You cry, but you must write their stories down, while they are still fresh and you know that they have just been liberated," the journalist recalls.
Ivan Antypenko noted that there had been moments when he thought he would never be able to come to Kherson again.
It will be recalled that the Ukrainian defense forces liberated Kherson from the Russian invaders on November 11, 2022.
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