Some villages in Kherson Oblast completely destroyed; authorities help with essential needs

Some of the liberated settlements in Kherson Oblast have been completely destroyed. Residents of the liberated villages are in need of electricity, water, gas and firewood; postal and banking services are already available.

Source: Radio Liberty media company; Pryazovia News, citing the authorities.

Quote from Oleksandr Samoilenko, Head of the Kherson Oblast Council: 

"Today, there are about 100 settlements in Kherson Oblast that have been liberated from the occupiers. The bulk are located in the Beryslav district, which is in the north of Kherson Oblast. There are some that have been liberated for a long time, such as the former district centre of Novovorontsovka, Vysokopillia, and Velyka Oleksandrivka. These are mostly villages located around former district centres.

To say that the infrastructure in these settlements has been completely destroyed is an understatement. I have personally been to some of them, and there are some settlements where not only the infrastructure has been destroyed, but all the buildings previously located there have been reduced to nothing."

Details: Samoilenko has noted that the Oblast Council is now trying to supply food to people who have stayed in the liberated settlements. In addition, hubs are being created there to provide materials for the repair and restoration of buildings.

According to the Head of the Oblast Council, Velyka Oleksandrivka will have gas supply restored in the very near future, but this is not the case in all settlements, so they are looking for alternative sources of heating, such as potbelly stoves. 

Samoilenko has said that there is currently a need in the liberated villages for generators, building material and means of communication.

He has noted that Ukrposhta [the national postal service of Ukraine -ed.] is already delivering pensions in the liberated villages, and banks have also been able to reopen. However, he calls on residents of the liberated settlements to leave the oblast for the winter.

Andrii Seletskyi, the head of Novovorontsovka District Military Administration, has said that the lack of electricity and water supply are the main problems of the liberated settlements.

"It sometimes happens that people do not need food, because there is always something to eat in the village, but they do need awnings, for example, to cover roofs that were damaged during shelling, and plastic sheeting to cover windows or firewood to burn in stoves, because forest areas have been mined," Andrii Seletskyi said.

Ukrainian military personnel are helping to clear mines from the area so that the villagers can put their cows out to graze.

Seletskyi has noted that Novovorontsovka has wonderful fishing grounds that were not damaged by shelling, so he "held negotiations with the fishermen, and they are ready to work."

Hanna Shostak-Kuchmiak, the head of Vysokopillia District Military Administration, has said that all settlements of the hromada have now been liberated from occupation and are restoring peaceful life.

"The most important thing for us right now is the restoration of the energy sector. We are also working to restart gas networks. The main thing people need is light, gas and water. There have already been some achievements: there is light on eight streets, and this inspires hope that the water supply there will also be restored," she said.

"We need to provide fuel and potbelly stoves to those who don't have them, because it is very difficult to provide gas heating within a short period of time. It will be done, but gradually. That's why we need to prepare and help people survive this winter," Shostak-Kuchmiak said.

Mobile communication is already being restored in the Vysokopillia hromada, with 3 cell towers now operating in the settlements covered by the village council. The medical sector is also being reopened, the police and emergency services have started working, and shops are resuming work, Shostak-Kuchmiak has added.

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