Only 50,000 of Kherson's 300,000 inhabitants remain. Not a single building is intact and almost all businesses are closed.

The city was taken over by Russia with the acquiescence of its neighbors and politicians. Moscow's current offensive began in December taking advantage of the lack of Ukrainian ammunition and the fatigue of its troops. The Russians maintain their main objective of advancing in eastern Ukraine, according to leading analysts.. The men and women of the 124th Ukrainian Territorial Defense Brigade, stationed in this area, do not only fight the aggressor in the territory he illegally occupies.