>>. >>> THIS MORNING UKRAINIAN
PRESIDENT, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, MADE A SURPRISE VISIT TO THE
NEWLY LIBERATED CITY OF KHERSON, THIS IS DAYS AFTER THEY WERE
ABLE TO FORCE-OUT RUSSIAN TROOPS THAT OCCUPIED IT.
THIS WEEKEND FIGHTERS RETURNED HOME, FAMILIES WERE REUNITED,
INCLUDING THIS SOLDIER WITH HIS GRANDMOTHER.
WATCH.
>> DOESN'T THAT SAY EVERYTHING? NIC ROBERTSON IS ON THE GROUND
IN KHERSON. NIC, THAT SINGING THAT WE HEARD
AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE BEHIND YOU.
THIS WAS, I'M SURE UNIMAGINABLE TO THEM FOR SO LONG.
>> Reporter: AND IT'S STILL HARD FOR IT TO SINK IN TO PEOPLE
HERE. I'VE BEEN TALKING TO THEM AGAIN
TODAY, 72 HOURS AFTER THAT LIBERATION.
THEY STILL FEEL THEY CANNOT REALLY SHOW THEIR TRUE EMOTIONS.
PARTICULARLY THOSE BEATEN BY THE RUSSIAN TROOPS.
THERE WERE PLENTY OF THOSE. PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY SAID HE WAS
HERE TO SEND A SIGNAL THAT HE WANTED THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY TO
RECONNECT WITH THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.
THEY PUT UP A TEMPORARY CELL PHONE TOWER OVER HERE TO HELP
PEOPLE GET A CONNECTION WITH LOVED ONES.
BUT LITERALLY THE LAST FEW MINUTES, A TRUCK, IT'S GOING TO
BE HARD FOR OUR CAMERAMAN TO GET AROUND TO HERE BUT YOU SEE A BIG
BLUE TRUCK THAT JUST PULLED AROUND HERE.
THAT IS THE FIRST HUMANITARIAN AID TO BE COMING INTO THE CITY.
IT IS MUCH NEEDED. THERE'S CELEBRATION HERE BUT
STILL COMING OUT OF THE DARKNESS OF RUSSIAN OCCUPATION.
THE JOYS OF KHERSON'S LIBERATION KEEP ON GIVING.
HOW ARE YOU, SHE SAYS? I SURVIVED HER FRIEND SAYS, BUT
THE RUSSIANS KICKED MY DOOR IN AND STOLE EVERYTHING.
THIS CITY ONCE HOME TO MORE THAN A QUARTER MILLION PEOPLE IS
STILL CELEBRATING ITS FREEDOM BUT BEGINNING TO COUNT THE COST
OF THE EIGHT-MONTH BRUTAL OCCUPATION THEY ENDURED.
THE CITY'S PHONE AND INTERNET CONNECTION CUT, RESIDENTS
CROWDING AROUND SOLDIERS' COMMUNICATIONS IN DESPERATE HOPE
OF CONTACTING LOVED ONES. ON THEIR WAY OUT, THE RUSSIANS
CRIPPLED ALMOST EVERY VITAL SERVICE.
ELECTRICITY OFF, AND WATER TOO. THIS PUMP CLOSE TO THE RIVER
BANK GIVING WATER TOO POLLUTED TO DRINK.
THE WATER STOPPED WHEN THE POWER WENT OFF HE SAYS.
THIS IS THE FOURTH DAY WITHOUT WATER.
BUT WHAT CAN WE DO? WE NEED TO SURVIVE SOMEHOW.
>> THE RUSSIANS EVEN FELLED THE CITY'S MAIN TV TRANSMITTER.
THEY BLEW IT UP JUST BEFORE LEAVING, A FINAL ACT OF
PUNISHMENT FOR A POPULATION THAT UNTIL DAYS EARLIER THEY SAID WAS
PART OF RUSSIA AND WOULD BE FOREVER.
THAT SAME MESSAGE KHERSON AND RUSSIA TOGETHER FOREVER BLAST
ERRED ON HUNDREDS OF BILLBOARDS AROUND THE CITY, IS ALREADY
BEING TORN DOWN. WHY?
BECAUSE EIGHT MONTHS OF OCCUPATION IS NOT VERY NICE.
I DIDN'T FEEL VERY GOOD LIVING IN FEAR THAT ANY MOMENT A CAR
COULD PULL OVER NEAR YOU AND BRING YOU TO A VERY UNPLEASANT
PLACE. ALEXANDER WAS UNLUCKY ENOUGH TO
BE TAKEN TO ONE OF THOSE UNPLEASANT PLACES AND SHOWS US
AROUND THE JAIL HE WAS IN. SAYS THE RUSSIANS BEAT HIM
DAILY. THEY ABUSED EVERYONE.
KEPT US HUNGRY. USED US AS FREE LABOR TO REPAIR
THEIR MILITARY VEHICLES HE SAYS. THEY WERE BEATING US WHENEVER
THEY WANTED. THIS IS WHERE THEY SAY RUSSIANS
KILLED PEOPLE FOR SHOUTING OUT GLORY TO UKRAINE OR HAVING
TATTOOS SAYING THE SAME THING. AND OVER HERE IN THIS ROOM, THIS
IS WHERE THEY USED TO TORTURE PEOPLE.
THE FIRE HE SAYS STARTED BY THE RUSSIANS AS THEY LEFT TO COVER
UP THEIR CRIMES. BUT IT IS ACROSS THE ROAD IN
KATERYNA'S CHURCH RUSSIA'S ODDEST BRUTALITY WAS
PERPETRATED. A GRAVE WAS LOOTED DAYS BEFORE
THE RUSSIANS LEFT. FATHER VITALI TAKES US INTO THE
GLOOMY CRYPT, SHOWS US WHERE HIS COFFIN WAS STOLEN FROM.
HE LAY HERE FOR 240 YEARS THROUGH MANY WARS HE SAYS.
WE HONORED HIM AS THE FOUNDER OF KHERSON AND THEY TOOK HIM
WITHOUT PERMISSION. REPAIRS OF SOULS AND CITY HAVE
ONLY JUST BEGUN. AND SOME OF THAT BEGINNING --
WELL, HE'S GOING TO PAN OVER TO THE BLUE TRUCK.
LOOK TO THE PEOPLE GATHERED AT THE BACK OF THAT HUMANITARIAN
TRUCK HERE. THERE IS NO DRINKING WATER IN
THE CITY. THERE IS NO ELECTRICITY.
THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF FOOD. PEOPLE, THE WATER THEY HAVE IS
POLLUTED AS WE SAID IN THE STORY.
IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE HERE.
SO IT'S NO SURPRISE FOR ME TO SEE THEM GATHERED AROUND THE
BACK OF THIS FIRST HUMANITARIAN TRUCK TO COME INTO THE CITY TO
SEE WHAT IT MIGHT OFFER THEM. >> THE WINTER IS UPON US AND
THEM AND THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT THE WAR.
>> Reporter: IT CERTAINLY IS. THE WAR IS LITERALLY -- THIS
TOWN IS NOW ON THE FRONT LINE OF COURSE, THE RUSSIANS JUST ACROSS
THE RIVER. YOU ROUTINELY HEAR BARRAGES OF
OUTGOING FIRE WE WERE DOWN AT THE RIVER EARLY ON, YOU CAN'T
SEE THE RUSSIANS ON THE OTHER SIDE BUT THEY'RE DUG IN.
SEEMS THE WINTER PERHAPS WILL FREEZE THE LINE HERE.
BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME.
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY SAID WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, THAT'S STILL THE
MESSAGE. THEY WANT TO TAKE MORE
TERRITORY. BUT FOR SURE THE WINTER IS GOING
TO BE BRUTAL AND HARD HERE. AT NIGHT SUBZERO TEMPERATURES.
THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE HEATING. IT GETS COLD HERE AT NIGHT.
>> NIC ROBERTSON WE'RE SO GLAD YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE THERE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT REMARKABLE REPORTING.