On May 15, Western military experts declared that Ukraine had won the "battle for Kharkiv." Analysts pointed to the retreat of Russian detachments around Kharkiv in the face of Ukrainian counterattacks. Russian troops had been fighting to take control of the city, which lies about 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the Russian border, since the beginning of the war. Residential areas on the city's outskirts were torn apart, and on March 2, a missile strike hit the city's central square. Thousands of civilians took cover in basements and in the city's metro station. Now, Kharkivites are sorting through the rubble, repairing the public transport system, restoring the electricity and gas supply, and preparing their beauty salons and cafes to open up again. Larisa Kalik went to Kharkiv to talk to the residents bringing the city back to life.
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