How did Russia capture Ukraine's only regional capital so quickly?
On March 1, 2022, Kherson fell to Russian forces after intense, localized combat. While the invasion involved an estimated 35,000 men, the city's rapid collapse raised profound questions about sabotage, betrayal, and the strategic importance of the Dnieper River.
The Battle of Kherson was a pivotal moment in the early stages of the Russo-Ukraine war. Following an invasion from Crimea on February 24, 2022, Russian forces moved through Chonhar and Chaplynka, eventually reaching Nova Kakhovka by 11:00 a.m. on the first day. The fall of the city was a significant blow; Kherson was the only regional capital captured by Russian forces during the invasion, serving as a strategic gateway to Crimea and a key to controlling the Dnieper River.
The defense of the city involved a mix of regular military and civilian volunteers. Approximately 500 civilians enlisted in the 192nd Kherson Battalion, while the 59th Brigade, consisting of about 1,200 men, found itself surrounded near Oleshky after Russian forces seized control of the Dnieper crossings. Despite desperate counterattacks at the Antonivka Road Bridge to cover the 59th Brigade's retreat to Mykolaiv, the city's defenses eventually buckled under heavy bombardment involving Ka-52 helicopters and FAB-500 bombs.
The speed of the collapse has led to intense debate over the role of internal sabotage. While some historians note the Russian attempt at an amphibious landing was initially stalled by coastal defenses, others point to deep-seated infiltration. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed high-ranking security officials as traitors after an aide to a general was arrested for providing minefield maps to Russian forces. This atmosphere of uncertainty, combined with the heavy casualties and destruction reported by Mayor Ihor Kolykhaiev, makes the fall of Kherson a complex study in modern urban warfare and intelligence failure.
Source: Battle of Kherson
