TRANSFORMATIONS OF URBAN LIFE DURING THE OCCUPATION OF KHERSON IN 2022 THROUGH THE PRISM OF ORAL HISTORY

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to examine and analyze specificity of occupation during the full-scale russian-Ukrainian war in March–November, 2022 exemplified by Kherson. Methodological foundations of the research include such methods as oral history and observations. Oral history is a main methodological basis, since it is a powerful instrument for understanding people’s life in the course of global historical changes. Main research results. The main task of the study is to reveal the specificity of «Kherson’s occupation model» and an internal view of the processes occurring during the city’s temporary occupation. The main source used is documentary stories of Kherson residents of different age and social groups. The research focuses on the following aspects: outlining complicated consequences of the city’s occupation for Kherson residents, conditions for the development of civil society in the city and perception of russians by Kherson residents as alien elements in the socio-cultural space of Kherson. The study aims at understanding and describing the specificity of Kherson’s occupation at the level of everyday life, that affected the civil population’s moral-psychological perception of the course of the military campaign and expectation of liberation. Moreover, the study considers various strategies of the local residents’ life on the basis of oral history and on the basis of the author’s reflection of his staying in the temporarily occupied territory. The research pays attention to the local residents’ experience connected with organization of daily routine, work, resistance and support of motivation to participate in different events. Conclusions. The conclusions summarize the occupation reality of the city’s residents. It was specific atmosphere where different ways of managing life/survival, opposition/struggle, expectation of liberation/maintaining national identity were formed. Freedom was cherished, axiological mindset was strengthened and Ukrainian identity was enhanced in this atmosphere. The paper reveals fundamental discourses concerning betrayal, life strategies and comprehension of the phenomenon «alien».