Russia has launched a renewed campaign to tighten its grip on the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, targeting key infrastructure and threatening critical access routes with drone warfare in what appears to be a strategic effort to divide and destabilize the region.
On Sunday, a barrage of airstrikes severely damaged a vital bridge connecting Kherson’s mainland to Korabel Island.
The attack triggered a mass evacuation effort for the estimated 1,800 civilians still trapped on the island. Although drone strikes across the city have been relentless for months, rescue workers and local residents reported a rare lull in attacks on the evacuation routes over the past few days, an unexpected pause amid the chaos.
However, by late Wednesday, Russian forces resumed their onslaught. Videos circulating online showed renewed bombardments near the bridge and on Korabel itself, where Ukrainian military positions are believed to exist.
Russian pro-military commentators also issued fresh warnings to Kherson residents, claiming that the northern access road into the city would now be a target for long-range drone strikes.
Yet, when CNN journalists traveled the route, they observed steady flows of freight vehicles, civilians, and even groups of cyclists, many of whom moved beneath protective netting strung above the asphalt in a desperate attempt to shield themselves from aerial attacks.
Kherson, briefly seized by Russian forces early in the invasion and later liberated by a swift Ukrainian counteroffensive in November 2022, remains a focal point of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ambitions.
The latest push to isolate Korabel has sparked fears that Russian forces may attempt a broader ground operation following sustained bombardments.
Evacuations from the island continued into Wednesday, with rescuers describing calm conditions during the collection of some 925 civilians. While shelling persisted elsewhere, drone activity appeared to temporarily avoid the humanitarian efforts.
Many evacuees were visibly shaken, torn between relief and fear over what lies ahead.
Inside an armored van, Nadiya, one of the evacuees, expressed her anguish. “They’ve been hitting hard since morning. When will this end?” she cried. “It’s like we’re going mad from all this. What kind of peace is this, killing people for it?” She mentioned rumors of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s supposed deadline for peace with Russia but dismissed it as meaningless in her reality. “We are tired. When will they ever come to their senses?”
Most elderly evacuees were offered temporary accommodation elsewhere in Kherson. For 85-year-old Nina, there was no plan, only exhaustion.
Grasping her crutch in the sweltering 35°C (95°F) heat, she said, “I’ll live wherever they place me. I’m on one leg. The shelling has worn out my nerves.”
Officials in Kherson cautioned against seeing any break in drone attacks on the convoys as a sign of leniency. “There’s no sense in speaking of humanity from the Russians,” said Yaroslav Shanko, head of the city’s military administration. “They strike indiscriminately,civilians, infrastructure, nothing is spared.”
Kherson’s hospital was bracing under the pressure, with 25 patients suffering injuries from recent strikes, five of whom had arrived that day alone.
One of them, 62-year-old Oleh, was wounded at 4 a.m. while trying to help a neighbor after a drone strike set their home ablaze.
A second drone, part of Russia’s notorious “double-tap” strategy, struck moments later. Oleh fell backwards over a fence during the blast, shielding his torso but leaving his legs exposed. Bandages now cover shrapnel wounds in his feet.
“You need to listen carefully,” Oleh warned. “The drones come back. One hits the house, then another follows—watching, waiting, for someone to come to help. Then they strike again.”
Now unable to walk, Oleh remains in the overcrowded hospital with no discharge date in sight. Even there, danger looms.
During CNN’s visit, officials reported three drones circling overhead, their mechanical hum and the crackle of nearby gunfire echoing through the ward’s netted windows.