Kherson is under constant shelling and drone attacks. But even under these conditions, journalists, volunteers, and civil society organizations are working here, cultural events are taking place, and new ideas for the region’s future are emerging.
In the new episode of “Conversations on Restoration,” we speak with Zarina Zabrisky, an independent American journalist and director of the documentary “Kherson: A Human Safari.” Zarina has been living and working in Kherson since the city’s de-occupation. During this time, she has become not just an observer, but someone who tells the world every day about life in this frontline region.
During our conversation, we discussed the role of journalism during wartime, society’s information fatigue, the media’s responsibility, the work of the government and the civil society sector, and Zarina's vision for the future of the Kherson region.
“I first arrived in Kherson on November 14, 2022. For me, this is a historic date in my personal history,” recalls Zarina. “And in 2023, I moved here to live and work on a documentary about Kherson, which we completed in 2025 together with Oleksandr Andriushchenko, a well-known photojournalist for the media ‘Vgoru.’ There’s so much material about Kherson that we decided to make it a trilogy. We’re currently finishing the second part — about the city’s mythology, history, and architecture. And the third part will be about the defenders of Kherson.”
Zarina Zabrisky reports daily from Kherson. She says that previously, there was much more attention focused on Ukraine, and many newspapers and magazines published her articles about the situation in the city. Today, unfortunately, that attention has faded, so Zarina continues to share information about Russian crimes and life in Kherson on her social media accounts.
Despite her optimism, the journalist is convinced that it is still too early to talk about large-scale reconstruction: “I believe in victory, and it will definitely come. But right now, the main issue is defense. We can spend hours discussing future reconstruction, but today we need to focus on helping Kherson’s defenders, the Armed Forces, and everyone who is holding back the enemy.”
Zarina says she is now also very interested in the topic of occupation. In December 2025, reports began to surface about famine and a drone blockade in the occupied town of Oleshky, and the journalist began researching the issue. According to her, some colleagues are still unaware of the situation in the Kherson region and believe it’s possible to swim across the Dnipro River from Kherson to Oleshky to cover the story. Since this is impossible, Zarina launched her own investigation — speaking with official Ukrainian authorities of the territories that remain occupied on the left bank of the Kherson region, with volunteers evacuating people from the occupied areas, and with the people themselves who managed to return to territories controlled by Ukraine. Zarina Zabrisky presented all the information she gathered in Brussels during the screening of the film “Kherson: A Human Safari” at the EU–Ukraine Business Summit. Zarina’s investigation served as the impetus for discussions on the idea of creating a “green corridor” from the occupied left bank of the Kherson region across the Dnipro and the Konka rivers.
“I became a small part of a process involving many people working to organize a ‘green corridor,’ but via a different route — not across the river — because there is a high likelihood of provocations from Russia. Negotiations are currently underway with the Russian side; we are waiting for their approval and a date when we can evacuate the 5,000–6,000 people who are currently under siege,” says Zarina Zabrisky.
One of the main questions today is how to keep the public’s attention focused on the Kherson region. People in other regions read news reports about shelling and destruction every day. Many simply stop paying attention to yet another report of an attack. At the same time, life in Kherson isn’t limited to airstrikes. Cultural life continues in the city; people are working, and events are being held. But due to security restrictions, it’s often impossible to report on these events in advance.
According to Zarina, it’s especially important to develop ties between regions so that residents of other regions can better understand what life is like in the Kherson region today. Her work as a journalist allows her to attend many events, share experiences with other colleagues, and tell them about the Kherson region. Zarina points out that many journalists are interested in and aware of the situation in the Kherson region, so Kherson journalists should collaborate with them and convey the situation to other regions: “The role of journalism is changing, just as the nature of war is changing. This is no longer World War I or World War II. We have the internet and social media, which create a different dynamic in how journalists communicate with readers and viewers. We communicate directly with our audience, and we need to leverage that. Simply writing an article no longer works. If we want to see the results of our work, we must be more proactive in conveying information.”
We asked Zarina Zabrisky whether journalistic standards have changed during the war, since war presents journalists with new challenges — especially in a city that is effectively on the front lines. Zarina is convinced that the basic principles of journalism remain unchanged, but working conditions require new approaches and new ethical decisions.
“Kherson is no longer just a city near the front lines. It is the front line. Questions arise here that simply didn’t exist before: what can be shown, how to work with people after tragedies, and how to ensure our reporting doesn’t compromise security. All content published by Kherson journalists today is reviewed and approved by a press officer. The rules are very strict, because we could lose our accreditation.”
At the same time, bloggers and anonymous sources are operating nearby, and they don’t always adhere to these restrictions. That is precisely why the journalist believes the role of professional media is becoming even more important today. A significant portion of the population now gets their information through Telegram channels — often anonymous ones. In such conditions, countering Russian disinformation becomes particularly crucial.
For many years before the full-scale invasion, Zarina Zabrisky had been researching disinformation and Kremlin narratives. She wrote numerous articles on the subject and conducted seminars and lectures in the United States and England: “The most important thing is not to repeat what they say. We need to show what’s really happening. But we have to be very careful.”
The media must not only report the facts but also explain the context, helping the audience distinguish truth from manipulation.
Today, working in frontline communities is impossible without coordination with government officials. This applies not only to the media but also to the work of civil society organizations, charitable foundations, and so on. We asked Zarina how she views the activities of local authorities.
“For me, as a foreigner, this is a complex issue. In my country, the format of communication between the government and the public is different. I see how representatives of the Kherson region work on international platforms, communicate with donors and humanitarian organizations, and represent the region. It looks professional,” says Zarina Zabrisky.
At the same time, in her opinion, communication with residents could be clearer and more attuned to people’s everyday needs. After all, residents of a frontline city assess the situation based on their own experiences, not on reports or statistics.
“I’m very glad I don’t work in government. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to make decisions under such conditions. And it seems to me that right now, the principle of ‘together we will win’ is more important than mutual accusations,” Zarina shares.
One of the problems the government faces today is a shortage of personnel. Some of the work normally handled by local administrations is being carried out by civic organizations and volunteers. Zarina speaks with gratitude about the work of local volunteers and civic organizations. According to her, it is they who carry out the work every day that is often invisible from the outside: “I see heroes helping their people. They are saving lives every day under conditions that few others would work in. And they need support, not criticism.”
At the same time, the journalist is more critical of international humanitarian organizations. In her view, many of them need to respond more quickly to events unfolding in the Kherson region, listen more closely to local voices, take responsibility, and expand their scope of activity. According to Zarina Zabrisky, journalists play a very active role here in urging such organizations to take responsibility.
Toward the end of our conversation, we spoke with Zarina Zabrisky not about the war, but about the Kherson region itself and its future: “This is a land with a very long history. Many different people have passed through here. It has a very rich history. But the land remains. The Dnipro flows. The burial mounds stand. And when you live here, you feel that strength. And it’s impossible to destroy it.”
It is precisely this inner resilience of the people and the land itself, in her opinion, that defines the Kherson region. And although it is too early to discuss large-scale reconstruction today, Zarina is convinced that, after victory, the Kherson region will have a bright future.
“There will be time for reconstruction, for investment, and for development. But right now, the most important things are defense, support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and victory,” Zarina Zabrisky is certain.
We invite Kherson residents to participate in an anonymous survey to better understand the moods, needs, and challenges faced by the Kherson region's population, and to assess the effectiveness of public organizations and authorities' work. Each of your answers is a crucial brick in the foundation of your future recovery. Your answers are completely anonymous and will be used exclusively in a generalized form for analytical purposes.
The interview has been produced by the Kherson Regional Charitable Foundation “Union” with the support of the European Endowment for Democracy (EED). Its contents do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of EED. Responsibility for the information and views expressed in this publication lies entirely with the authors.
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