Six people lost their lives in a market area in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson due to Russian shelling. Regional authorities reported that the attack occurred around 09:00 local time, coinciding with a nationwide moment of silence to honor those who have died in the war. This day, known as “Defenders Day,” is observed annually to pay tribute to the armed forces.
The shelling targeted a busy market and a bus stop, likely using Russian “barrel artillery,” according to the local prosecutor’s office. One distressing image shared by local media depicted a body lying on the pavement next to boxes of fruit. Initial reports indicated that seven people had died, but doctors managed to save one individual who had initially been declared dead.
Kherson had been under Russian occupation shortly after the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, but it was liberated by Ukrainian forces in November of that year. The city remains very close to the frontlines, with intense fighting taking place just across the Dnipro River.
At 08:55 on Tuesday, people in Kyiv and across Ukraine observed a ten-minute silence for Defenders Day. A small gathering took place in Maidan Square, where many remembered the fallen soldiers by placing Ukrainian flags and framed photographs of them. Halyna, whose 29-year-old son Kostyantyn was killed while fighting in the Kherson region in July 2022, shared her grief. Clutching a photo of him, she recalled his bravery and the stories shared by his comrades about his service.
As the moment of silence began, cars halted in the middle of busy streets, and people stood still, creating a poignant atmosphere filled with sorrow, pride, and collective memory. The Ukrainian national anthem resonated through the quiet streets during this emotional tribute. Tragically, it was during this moment that the missile strike on Kherson occurred.
In a separate incident, 21 people were reported injured in Zaporizhzhia when Russian glide bombs targeted residential and industrial areas. The local prosecutor’s office confirmed that these bombs struck two districts in the regional capital.
On the eastern front, Russian forces are reportedly advancing in Donetsk, nearing the center of the town of Vuhledar. Only about 107 residents remain in the devastated area, with children already evacuated and humanitarian aid nearly impossible to deliver, according to the regional head, Vadym Filashkin.
As part of the Defenders Day commemorations, President Volodymyr Zelensky paid homage to those who have lost their lives in the conflict, stating, “You sacrifice yourselves so that Ukraine does not have to be sacrificed.”
Yuliya, whose partner Bogdan served as an army medic during the siege of Mariupol, expressed the challenges she faces as a single parent since Bogdan was captured by Russian troops. With a five-year-old daughter, she draws strength from her child, balancing the roles of both mother and father. Bogdan was among the many who perished in the July 2022 explosion at Olenivka prison, which Ukraine believes was a deliberate attempt by Russia to destroy evidence of war crimes, though Moscow has blamed Ukrainian missile strikes.
For many Ukrainian families, remembrance is both a private and public act. Yuliya wants her daughter to understand her father’s sacrifices, stating, “What he did for us and everything we have now is because of him. He was protecting us.”
