The situation in Kherson

Monday 9 February 2026

The security, military and political situation in Kherson remains one of the most acute and complex facets of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. Situated on the right (north) bank of the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine, Kherson city and the wider oblast occupy a vital strategic position, linking the south of the country with the Black Sea and providing a logistical gateway between Ukraine’s interior and littoral regions. Since her liberation from Russian occupation in November 2022 Kherson has not returned to peace; she has instead remained a frontline city battered by daily attacks, struggling to maintain civil life and political cohesion in the face of relentless pressure from across the river. 

The military situation in Kherson today is defined by continuous Russian artillery, missile and drone strikes aimed at both military and civilian infrastructure. Over the past week alone, Russian forces have repeatedly struck the city, injuring civilians including women in the Korabelnyi district, and damaging critical installations such as the Kherson Combined Heat and Power Plant (CHPP), which has been hit on multiple occasions this month. These attacks cause interruptions to electricity and water supplies, compounding the hardship for residents already accustomed to sporadic utilities and winter stress. 

Local reporting highlights that Russian forces attack not only with standard artillery but increasingly with drones, including small explosive-laden unmanned aerial vehicles that weave through defensive airspace to strike residential areas, public infrastructure and logistic hubs. This strategy has been described as a sustained terror campaign against civilians, leaving a constant risk of casualties and damage to homes, shops and essential services. 

Kherson’s civilian population endures this pressure with stoicism, but the toll is heavy. Recent days have seen multiple people wounded and at least one fatality from shelling and drone strikes, with streets and neighbourhoods marked by craters and shattered glass. Humanitarian conditions are fragile: many families cope with intermittent power outages, water shortages, and the psychological strain of living under near-constant threat. Community leaders and emergency services coordinate to respond swiftly when strikes occur, but the capacity to rebuild quickly is limited by the proximity of the frontline. 

On the political front, Kherson’s administration — led under Ukrainian authority — has emphasised the need for reinforced inter-agency coordination to enhance security and civil protection. A recent municipal meeting underscored the importance of proactive planning for emergency response, including preparations for extended electrical outages caused by hostile action on energy infrastructure. Municipal officials have stressed that security and public safety in this frontline city depend upon efficient cooperation among military, emergency and civil governance bodies. 

National political actors in Kyiv also continue to focus on Kherson as a priority for Ukraine’s broader war strategy. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has discussed security and socio-economic concerns for the region in recent coordination meetings with military commanders, including reviews of electronic warfare systems and counter-drone measures intended to blunt Russian aerial assaults. Such high-level attention reflects Kherson’s symbolic and strategic importance to Ukraine’s resistance. 

Internationally, Kherson’s situation forms part of broader debates about security guarantees for Ukraine. Western partners remain engaged in discussions about how to enhance long-term stability and defence, including proposals for reinforced air-defence systems and multi-tiered responses to ceasefire violations. While these wider diplomatic efforts do not eliminate the immediate danger faced by Kherson’s residents, they underscore the city’s role in conversations about Ukraine’s future security architecture. 

In political terms, Kherson’s reality is shaped by the juxtaposition of local governance under wartime conditions and the persistent threat posed by Russian forces entrenched on the left bank of the Dnipro. Civilians living here confront the daily consequences of an incomplete peace, while administrators seek to balance resilience with reconstruction. The city’s future — and that of its inhabitants — remains uncertain, dependent on the course of the war, the efficacy of Ukraine’s defence and the evolving support from international partners. 

In essence, Kherson today stands at once as a symbol of Ukraine’s resistance and a stark reminder of the enduring human cost of conflict. Into 2026 the city remains under fire, its streets scarred by shelling and her political life shaped by the demands of frontline governance.