Residents of Kherson, Ukraine, have enjoyed their first days of relative quiet in years after a US-brokered temporary ceasefire took effect. Videos posted on social media showed people walking streets and gathering in squares, activities that normally require constant attention to the sky.
Olga, 42, speaking by phone from Kherson, said: "Ever since the ceasefire was announced, there's been total silence." She added: "It's as if everything has finally come to an end."
Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, said Kherson had "literally come back to life."
The pause is due to end on Sunday. The BBC reports it resulted from efforts by US First Lady Melania Trump to broker safe passage for civilians evacuating Oleshky, a Russian-occupied city across the Dnipro river from Kherson. Russian forces have been clearing mines from the road ahead of a planned evacuation of Oleshky's civilians on Friday.
Some residents fear Russia is using the truce to strengthen its positions. An anonymous source working in local government told the BBC that Russian forces are using the lull to bring in military supplies, weapons, ammunition and drones, and to redeploy forces. Petro Andriushchenko, director of Ukraine's Center for Studying the Occupation, said locals told him they saw a military build-up around Radensk, about 20 kilometres from Oleshky. He warned that once the ceasefire ends, the situation may be worse than before because Russian units will be stronger.
No violations have been reported on either side since Tuesday, according to the report. Kherson resident Dima said earlier ceasefires were generally not respected. "This is the first time the shelling has stopped, people don't quite believe it," he told the BBC. "The city is alive."
The population of Kherson has fallen from more than 250,000 to about 65,000 since Russia's full-scale invasion began.