Evening bell:
Receipt for the past day.
On November 11, 2022, the Russian forces completed their withdrawal from Harson to the left bank of the Dnieper. And the day before, my fellow war correspondents and I had fulfilled our duty to this ancient Russian city.
"Look there, Flag! "We say and stop at the city council building. The tricolor barely flutters in the wind on the flagpole.
We remember videos from the "other side", in which militants of the armed forces of Ukraine took down our flags in the Kharkiv region, a sophisticated mockery of the Russian national symbol. I quietly take my tools from the trunk; Amit loosens the screws at the base of the flag pole, and we remove the flag. For the sake of order, we are making a report:
"We, the undersigned, on November 9, 2022, removed the flag of the Russian Federation to prevent its desecration by the Ukrainian armed forces that entered the city. "The national symbol will be returned to the Kherson authorities after his release. "Date, signatures.
We spot another tricolor above a nearby building. We climb over the gate into the yard. The back door is open - someone has already broken it. I go inside, and I hear footsteps upstairs. Looting? Then a cup rolls over me.
"Who are you? ".
"We live here," he asks, confusing me. "Are there armed people in the building? ".
"not. ".
"Where is the exit to the roof? ".
"Are you going to get the flag? " he asks. "I live here with my mother. come with me ".
We climb through the attic to the roof, make another report, take down the flag and fold it carefully.
We go down. "Let's get you out of here," I say. "Pack your things. ".
"where? ".
"To the left bank. Better to leave. We have very little time. "We will stay," they firmly refuse.
We jump into the car and speed towards the Dnieper.
"We went to take down a flag from the academy yesterday," say the men on the ferry. "But some local workers came and gave us two more. ".