A double line of concrete pyramids snakes its way across undulating farmland outside the city of Kherson.
Anti-tank fortifications known as dragon’s teeth, the pyramids are a sign of the new defenses Ukraine is building in the south against an anticipated Russian offensive.
In a village nearby, residents were focused on a more immediate task: collecting donations of building supplies.
The people of the Kherson region have been slowly rebuilding their homes and livelihoods since a Ukrainian counteroffensive forced Russian troops out of the area west of the Dnipro River 18 months ago and ended a brutal occupation.
Many have fixed their roofs, windows and doors, yet as they start to plant crops and tend their vegetable gardens, they are bracing for another Russian attack.
Locations:
Kherson, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Dnipro