Thousands in Kherson come out to rally against occupier, the aggressors open fire
IRINA BALACHUK - SUNDAY, 13 MARCH 2022, 14:15
In Kherson, several thousand people came out for a peaceful "Kherson is Ukraine" rally. Later, the invaders opened fire at the rally.
Source: eyewitness Olena Kozak on Facebook; Information Resistance Association; Suspilne Media. Kherson.
Details: Many people were holding placards and Ukrainian flags.
As can be seen from Kozak's video, people are chanting "Go home", "Go home while you're still alive", "Ukraine above all", "Glory to the nation - death to the enemies", "Russian soldier, go f**k yourself", "Kherson is Ukraine", "Russia is a s**t-house, victory will be ours".
People are rallying despite the fact that dozens of armed Russian soldiers and many Russian vehicles are stationed around.
According to "Information Resistance", about 10 thousand Kherson residents came out to protest against the proclamation of the so-called "Kherson People's Republic" by the invaders.
Later, at a rally in Kherson, the occupiers opened fire. When this happened, people were chanting: "The Russian soldier is a fascist occupant!"
According to the local journalist Konstantin Ryzhenko, shots were fired at people’s legs at the rally. At least one man was hit in the leg by the occupiers with a rubber bullet.
Also in Kherson, several people rallied in support of the occupiers. They held up red USSR flags.
Among them were Ihor Semenchev, a city council member; Serhiy Cherevko, former deputy mayor of Kherson; pro-Russian Kherson activist Kirill Stremousov; Tatiana Kuzmich, a teacher at the Kherson Academy of Continuing Education; Volodymyr Saldo, former mayor of Kherson; and Hennadiy Balbota.
What happened earlier: On 13 March, military vehicles were being driven around Melitopol, a town in Zaporizhzhia region temporarily occupied by Russian troops, warning residents through loudspeakers in Russian that rallies and demonstrations are prohibited. At the same time, as witnessed by a video recorded on the streets of the city, Melitopol residents were sending this message and the occupiers themselves in an internationally known direction - following the Russian warship.
Background:
- Since the occupiers have temporarily entered Kherson, there have been regular protests against the invaders in the city and the region.
- In Kherson, Russian military equipment stands in front of the regional state administration building, while the railway station and the seaport are under Russian control.
- Russian troops are not allowing trucks with humanitarian aid to enter the city. The residents refuse to accept aid from the invaders.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has thanked the proud Ukrainians who have found themselves under occupation but have not betrayed the interests of the state, and have shown the occupying forces what pride and self-respect is all about.
- On 12 March, at an emergency meeting, the Kherson Regional Council rejected the idea of creating a "Kherson People's Republic".
