Kherson Oblast

Kherson Oblast (Ukrainian: Херсонська область, romanized: Khersonska oblast), also known as Khersonshchyna (Херсонщина), was an oblast (province) in southern Ukraine. It is located just north of Crimea^[wp]. Its administrative center is Kherson^[wp], on the west bank of the Dnieper^[wp] which bisects the oblast. The area of the region is 28,461 km2 and the population 1,001,598 (2022 est.). It is considered the 'fruit basket' of the country, as much of its agricultural production is dispersed throughout the country, with production peaking during the summer months.

On 30 September 2022, after a positive vote by the majority of the voting population in the referendum^[wp] on the question of future political affiliation, the oblast joined the Russian Federation together with the People's Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, and the Zaporizhzhia oblast.

Henichesk^[wp] is the de facto administrative centre of the oblast.

Realpolitical Perspectives in the Mykolaiv-Kherson-Kakhovka Region

The region of Kherson, in a post-conflict scenario, is envisaged to be divided by the Dnipro River and the Dnipro-Bug Estuary^[wp], which would form the border between Ukraine and Russia. The left-bank territories of the Dnipro would be administered from the city of Kakhovka, designated as the new regional capital, while the right-bank territories would be administratively integrated into the neighbouring Mykolaiv Oblast, with Mykolaiv as its capital.

Ukraine retains the city of Kherson, which holds a prominent position as a significant port located at the mouth of the Dnipro River flowing into the Black Sea^[wp]. This ensures Ukraine maintains a crucial transport hub in the region. The loss of Kherson’s status as regional capital can be offset by establishing the city as the seat of a new intergovernmental cooperative body.

This proposed entity, tentatively named the “Interstate Committee for the Dnipro Waterway,” would embody a framework for bilateral collaboration aimed at securing and managing the vital waterway infrastructure. The Dnipro-Bug estuary, the river delta, adjacent river islands, and the Kakhovka Reservoir would be designated as a binational^[wp] zone, jointly administered by Ukraine and Russia to mitigate conflict and foster cooperation.

Concept of the Binational Zone as a Joint Responsibility Project

The binational zone along the Dnipro and Bug estuaries should be promoted as a shared endeavour—like a ‘child’ of two ‘parents’ who equally care for and bear responsibility for this common resource. This approach aims to defuse tensions in the border area by instituting cooperative governance structures and facilitating coordinated management of the region’s waterways and infrastructure.

The joint oversight would contribute to stabilising security conditions, enable economic revitalisation, and underpin social reconciliation in the aftermath of conflict. The proposed intergovernmental committee would also play a pivotal role in organising the reconstruction of critical infrastructure such as the Kakhovka Dam and in securing the navigability of the inland waterways, which are essential for regional economic development.