For Ukraine's Kherson region, a short ceasefire meant a momentary return to normal life

People walk past the destroyed location of a cafe in Kherson, Ukraine. Svet Jacqueline for NPR hide caption Svet Jacqueline for NPR KHERSON, Ukraine — In this city where Russian drones usually fill the skies, Olena Soboleva could not easily walk down the street to meet her best friend, Anna Herasimenko. Then came last week's truce, negotiated by First Lady Melania Trump and Pope Leo XIV, in a corner of southern Ukraine that included Kherson. This weekend, the two friends, both 21, took the opportunity to venture outside to autumnal skies clear of drones and guided bombs. Best friends Anna Herasimenko and Olena Soboleva, both 21, spent the ceasefire taking walks in the city and having coffee at a favorite cafe. They rarely see each other in person because constant drone attacks make it too dangerous to venture outside. Svet Jacqueline for NPR hide caption Svet Jacqueline for NPR "No drones, no explosions," Soboleva says. "No one wants to kill you." They passed families strolling with their kids, shoppers stocking up on supplies and couples holding hands. They lined up at a cafe filled with paintings of cats. "The city seems alive," says Herasimenko, "just like it used to be." Over t...