site.btaBulgarian National in Kherson: Situation in Occupied Ukrainian Territories Most Critical

The situation in the [Russian-]occupied Ukrainian territories is the most critical after the explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant. The situation in the town of Novaya Kakhovka, where Bulgarians live and are under occupation, is grave. We have no contact with them after the disaster, a Bulgarian national in Kherson – Yuriy Palichev, told BTA on Wednesday. Palichev is a member of the Management Board of the Khan Kubrat Bulgarian society in Kherson Region.

Palichev reported that all his Bulgarian relatives and acquaintances are alive, there are no casualties.

“I have received information that in one of the occupied Ukrainian villages – Sahy, which is located near the town of Oleshky, the water level rose to 4 metres. People are on the rooftops of their houses. They cannot be helped. An option of rescuing them by boats is being considered, but there is a danger that the Russians will shoot at them", Palichev explained.

The Bulgarian managed to evacuate from Kherson with his family. They are now in the Bessarabian Bulgarian village of Zarya in the Belgorod-Dnestrovsky (Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi) District.

In his words, many Bulgarian nationals from the Bolhrad region call him, offering help to accommodate the victims. However, people are unlikely to leave their homes for a longer period of time. “In a few days the water [level] will decrease, and they are waiting to return to their houses to repair them after the flooding," Palichev also said.

According to Palichev, most Bulgarians live in Kherson and Novaya Kakhovka and are members of the Khan Kubrat Bulgarian society. “For many years, I was the chairperson of this society, we organized many Bulgaria-related events. Then Petar Chumakov was elected chairman. We had many future plans, one of them was to open a Bulgarian centre, but the war impeded everything”, Palichev explained.

According to the latest 2001 census, the Bulgarian community in Kherson region numbers nearly 1,100 people.