Caught In The Net: Star Wars Tactics And Geopolitical Struggles In Kherson

Do you think Russia is escalating attacks near Kherson ahead of possible peace negotiations?

There is no large-scale Russian troop buildup for a full crossing and offensive. The Russian command knows that increasing their numbers would trigger Ukrainian countermeasures. 

Yet, Russian offensives have intensified in the Kherson region since the US presidential election. Intercepted Russian military conversations reveal they are being ordered to advance on the right, Ukrainian-controlled bank, despite heavy refusals, as the mission is seen as suicidal. Yet many still go and die. 

Russia relies on sending waves of troops, many of whom are killed daily—15 were eliminated in such attacks yesterday. Every day, heavily armed Russian forces, mostly arriving by boat, storm islands in the Dnipro, trying to secure positions on the right bank. When retrieving Russian bodies, our military observes a mix of new recruits and long-serving soldiers. Young draftees in brand-new uniforms are killed alongside veterans with over two years of service. Special forces and marines are also present. While their equipment varies, their objective is the same: establish a foothold by the end of the month.

I saw a video taken near the Antonivs’kyy Bridge: Russian soldiers walk as a mortar shell lands a meter away. One keeps moving like a zombie. There are the dead and wounded all around. He keeps walking. Until another strike kills him. This could be the effect of psychotropic drugs.

This has been ongoing for a long time, and we expect it to peak by late March. I believe that the Russian military command is setting the task precisely to have a more advantageous position during the negotiations. Russia's Constitution claims the Kherson region as part of the Russian Federation. The Kremlin seek to establish a presence to legitimise this claim—but that will not happen.

Scenes of devastation in downtown Kherson attacked daily by Russian artillery and aviation

What tactics is Ukraine using to detect and eliminate Russian incursions?

Warfare has changed across the front in the Kharkiv region, in the Donetsk region, and here, in the Kherson region. Large tank columns are no longer used. Instead, small units operate with UAVs, artillery, armored vehicles, and airstrike support. These groups attempt to secure positions with reinforcements from others.

You have mentioned Russian FPV drones striking Ukrainian positions. Kherson also became known as a stage for horrifying “human safari” with drones chasing and attacking civilians. Can you give some statistics?

Drone attacks on civilians surged in August 2024. Drones target public transport, cyclists, civilian cars, and people at bus stops or stores. Over the past year, 23 ambulances and 140 police cars have been destroyed in such attacks.

By March 2025, the Kherson region alone had seen an estimated 16,000 drone strikes, killing 85 residents and injuring 880, including 11 children. In total, Russian aggression has killed 770 Khersonians and wounded 4,300.

What countermeasures have been implemented against drones?

To protect the region, we implemented a groundbreaking defense system—unlike anything before. For the first time in history, a city is surrounded by a radio-electronic barrier. We call it a dome, but it’s truly a wall separating the two banks of the Dnipro. This will go down in history.

Building it took six months and hundreds of thousands of devices linked to a single control center. It’s an automated system with electronic detection, destruction mechanisms, and physical defense units using anti-drone guns. Each week, 80%–85% of attacking Russian drones are neutralized.

I call the situation in Kherson “Star Wars.” We can’t share technical details, but to give you an idea: Russians have adapted, using fiber-optic drones undetectable by electronic warfare (EW) systems. These drones fly on a cable—we see them physically. In response, we launch large drones with hooks to intercept them. We are also testing laser drones that cut the fiber-optic cable. Our drones chase enemy drones, deploying fishing nets or firing anti-drone bullets. In some areas, we block transport routes and critical infrastructure with fishing nets to trap drones. It feels futuristic, but it’s real here.

Europe is unaware of these warfare tactics. When we spoke with allies in the UK, Netherlands, Italy, Lithuania, and Latvia, they had no idea. Yet, many may need an EW wall on their borders with Russia. Our experience will be invaluable—we’ve already tested everything. It’s tough, as Russians constantly target power and communication lines, but we keep going.

Drone Caught in a Fishing Net, from Kherson Administration Archives

Speaking of hybrid warfare, Russians also weaponized ecocide in Kherson. The destruction of the Novaya Kakhovka dam changed the relief and riverbed. How did this change Ukraine's defensive operations and Russia's offensive strategies?

They aimed to block our counterattack, but it backfired. Both Ukrainian and Russian defense lines were washed away, forcing both sides to rebuild. Mines were also displaced. The estimated damage is $1 billion.

Hybrid warfare relies heavily on psyops. Russia spreads disinformation about Kherson to undermine Ukrainian governance. What is your administration doing to counter these operations?

We have an information policy program covering both strategic messaging and technical measures. On the occupied east bank, we target Russian radio repeaters that broadcast propaganda into Ukrainian-controlled territory while expanding the range of our own signals to the temporarily occupied territories. In 2024, we made significant progress.

We monitor Russian disinformation and counter it with evidence and eyewitness accounts. We document terrorist attacks, believing justice will come—both in court and, ultimately, in God’s trial.

In occupied Kherson, Russia enforces propaganda, russification, and military recruitment. Do you see a real risk of a new generation being brainwashed to fight against Ukraine or Europe?

Russian propaganda systematically targets Ukrainian identity. In kindergartens, children are forced to write letters to Russian soldiers and denounce Ukraine. Schoolchildren must join militant clubs, wear uniforms, and chant pro-Russian slogans. The curriculum is being rewritten, and the situation is worsening. Parents who resist risk losing custody of their children or being imprisoned.

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What is needed to reclaim the occupied territories? 

Weapons and allied support are crucial. The main goal is to reclaim these territories. The people of Kherson live for this. My family wants to return home to the east bank—just like everyone else. Our mission is clear: bring our people back, reclaim our land, and rebuild.

Kherson’s economy is dependent on agriculture. Large areas of agricultural land have been mined or destroyed. How much land in Kherson is currently unfit for agriculture and what efforts are being made to demine it? How has the reduction in USAID funding affected the situation? 

Demining is critical. In 2024, we cleared 64% of liberated territories in Kherson. We would reach 100%, but a 20-30 km section near the Dnipro remains inaccessible due to ongoing fighting. Despite this, progress is steady. Over two years, we achieved significant results: in 2024, 155,000 hectares were sown, yielding 360 tons of grain and vegetables. In 2025, 220,000 hectares were sown, doubling the expected harvest of vegetables, potatoes, sunflower seeds, and wheat.

USAID provided 110 million hryvnias in aid for irrigation, business support, and cultural initiatives. With reduced funding, we are seeking other donors and working with Ukrainian state programs.

What is your message to the international community?

We don’t want war. Our civilians and military are exhausted. Living in such conditions is mentally and physically draining. We will all need psychological treatment after the war. I sleep better under explosions than in the safety of Western countries during negotiations. This is not normal.

For Ukraine, and especially our region, American support is crucial. Over three years of full-scale war, we have seen and deeply appreciated this support. We hope US policy remains committed. After years of military aid and investment, why abandon Ukraine? Our priority aligns with America and European countries: establishing peace. We are fighting for our culture, language, people, land, and for a just peace.