She said that she slept with her dog, Kraz, for comfort and that he seemed to take comfort in it, too.

Even on a sunny day, Kherson feels eerie, especially the main square. Not so long ago, it was crammed with so many happy people that it was hard to walk across. Now, it lies deserted. It looks enormous. It stands as a heavy presence in the center of town.

“But I’m not worried,” said Tetiana Yudina, a shop manager, as she walked past. “I hope…” “No,” she corrected herself. “I believe, I know,” she emphasized, “that everyone will come back.”

Anastasia Kuznietsova contributed reporting from Mantua, Italy, and Evelina Riabenko from Kherson.