Kharkiv was one of the most war-affected Ukrainian cities, suffering a multi-day assault and fighting in its suburbs in late February and early March, then coming under regular shelling. The noose around the city has loosened for a few days, but the war continues. Significant damage was inflicted on all infrastructure, and many residents have yet to return.
“We are trying to keep the city alive,” a spokeswoman for the town hall told AFP, commenting on the resumption of certain public bus lines on Monday.
According to this spokesperson, the mayor refrains for the moment from calling for the return of the inhabitants, as well as from prohibiting it. “The realities are different depending on the neighborhood,” she says. At the Kharkiv station many people, who had fled in February, are however returning.