The southern Ukraine city of Mykolaiv is defending its territory to prevent the Russians from reaching Odesa. The city has been bombed for the last six days. Until recently, the bombings took place at night, but two days ago they began during daylight. As a result, at least 9 people were killed and 13 were injured. "Before that we didn't have as many casualties because people went to shelters at night. They're using cluster bombs." The mayor of Mykolaiv, Oleksandr Senkevich, explains in a conversation with ElNacional.cat that these bombs have already affected more than 260 civil buildings. "They have hit children's homes, heating stations, gas and electricity facilities... there is nothing military here," he says desperately.
We ask him about the condition of the people who have stayed in this city of half a million people, how they are living, if it is still possible to get food. "We have special services that are repairing everything that the bombs destroy. We have electricity, gas, water and heating. But in some areas, some parts of the city, those aren't working. We're trying to solve it, it's not easy. People are risking their lives to restore the supply." And going to the supermarket is also difficult. "When you leave your home or the bomb shelters you risk your life. There aren't many people on the streets. And if you have to go to the supermarket, you go fast. In fact, the people killed two days ago were queueing for the bank, to withdraw money. The bombs exploded right there."
The intention of the Russians, as Senkevich explains, is to reach Odesa. "From Kherson, they want to get to Odesa and Mykolaiv is in the way." He explains that they have a route open to Odesa. "From there we get goods and it also works as a humanitarian corridor to evacuate people, those who want to or are able to leave." He also noted that aid had come to his city from other countries: "Specifically, as well as from other Ukrainian cities further west, we have received assistance from Poland, Romania, Italy and Georgia." What arrives, he notes, are basically canned goods, preserves and general humanitarian aid products. "We are already distributing some of them, but we have created a kind of warehouse and from there we are distributing them." In this regard, he reiterates that it is not easy to go to the supermarket. "Logistically, we have problems, you can imagine. There's not much variety of products."
How is the city protecting itself?
The Russian attacks repeat, one after another. "The army has taught us how to make trenches. Also how to organize territorial defence groups, which do not usually have military experience. They are very motivated, however. All the services, such as the police or special services, are ready to defend the city. The Russians, on the other hand, are not motivated at all because they say we are 'Nazis', but there are people here protecting their homes, their families, the city... We are ready to fight." Senkevich believes that the goal of Putin's troops is to reach Odesa: "Here we are creating a border, we will defend our city, we are ready."
"We never considered a war, you know? It's all very shocking... But after February 24th you had to change your way of thinking, it has changed our lives forever. Our lives have changed. They say they are cleaning up cities, like what they have done in Mariupol, however, it is a catastrophe what they are doing". He refers to the atrocious images of the Mariupol maternity and childrens' hospital which he has seen, "but we saw people burning in the courtyards of their homes". "They shoot people from the tanks, on the street..." His sentence melts into silence.
A silence that returns when we ask him about his family. A pause. For a long time. "There are two mayors who have been arrested and put in jail and no one knows anything about them. My family has left and they are protected, I have stayed." "We had plans on how to make the city more comfortable, change things, improve the port and they have ruined everything for us. They can't do any good here. They have their country ruined and they want ours to be too," he concludes, visibly affected.
Main image: Barricade in the centre of Kyiv / Zurab Kurtsikidze - Efe