Kyiv: For the first time in more than eight months, happy Ukrainians arrived in Kherson on Saturday by train, where residents of the recently liberated southern city welcomed them onto the stage with flowers and flags.
When Hryhory Virtosa, a 67-year-old construction worker from Kyiv, got off the overnight train, he said, "I can't even describe my feelings in words."
On 11 November, Ukrainian forces liberated Kherson from Russian rule, effectively handing Moscow another significant battlefield defeat. Since their offensive on 24 February, Russian forces had only managed to capture this one regional capital.
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Virtosa, a native of the Kherson region with roots in Moldova, made his first trip on Saturday after fleeing the Russian-occupied city of Skadovsk in April.
Virtosa, who was beaming, kept his promise to shout "Glory to Ukraine" upon arriving. Then he gave bear hugs to his son, whom he had not seen for eight months.
Hundreds of residents of the city cheered to welcome the train, even though the city currently lacks electricity, running water and central heating.
It stands for freedom. Maria Matsenko, 66, who was holding a Ukrainian flag and waiting on stage with a friend, declared, "It's a pleasure.
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After celebrations at the main railway station, the train left Kyiv late on Friday night. It was brightly painted by various Ukrainian artists and included slogans such as "People of Steel".
Ukrainian rock singer Oleh Skripka performed at the event. Passengers in the crowd, including Ukrainian soldiers, were singing along.
A "Train to Victory" initiative between Ukrainian Railways and President Volodymyr Zelensky's United24 fundraising campaign saw an early release of tickets for Kherson prior to its liberation.
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Among other places is Mariupol, a city in the southeast that was severely damaged earlier this year and is still held by Russian forces.
