“They stole what they didn’t destroy.” Report from Ukrainian villages
Kutsevich lost his brother and many acquaintances in the rocket attack. Russia soldiers stole Soviet medals and stamps that he had collected for years
Dolina too of Ukraine it is one of the many villages destroyed in the east. 42 years old Marina Snijinska The house, which he had been building for years and eagerly waiting for its completion, was destroyed by 12 rockets before he moved into his new house. The house where he grew up and where his parents lived was destroyed. His uncle Mykola Myronenkohis house and shop as well.
Snijinska and her relatives spent the last five days looking for things that might have been left from their past lives among the ruins of these houses. “They stole what they didn’t destroy” – he says.
Donetsk and Kharkiv The village of Dolyna, located on the border between the regions, has never been occupied. Russian army even though they came very close to the village, they could not break through the nearby city of Slovyansk. In 2014 Ukraine It was in this city that the war between the Donbas region, which Russia supported by arming, started. During the counter attack Ukraine soldiers stayed in these houses abandoned by their owners.
All the inhabitants of Dolyna of Ukraine fled to safer places, Europe or Russia.
Ukraine of the army free one of the villages he did is the village of Ruski Tishki. With Kharkiv Russia located in the middle between the border village completely empty.
Olena Bubiyenko She had to stay in the village with her husband because of her 81-year-old mother, who could not walk. An elderly woman has been lying in the basement of a relatively intact house for months. Cats collected from nearby villages were also placed in cages next to him.
Village Early May after 72 hours of Russian occupation free although the rocket fire was only a few weeks ago, of Ukraine more territory by counterattacking free stopped after doing it.
Bubiyenko Russia he says he doesn’t hate his soldiers. “One of them saved my life,” – he says.
One day, while he was walking on the street, a cluster bomb fell near him. A Russian soldier suddenly pulled him by his clothes and threw him into a nearby trench. A seven-year-old girl died before his eyes.
According to him, another Russian soldier from Lyosha island knelt down in front of him because the occupying army made the village like this.100 times” begged and apologized.
“We can forgive them. What will we do with our destroyed village?” – says Bubiyenko.
The houses of Bubiyenko himself, his mother and his sister were destroyed by rocket fire. Her daughter, granddaughter, son and her fiance are abroad. All of them moved from Russia to Poland.
Bubiyenko himself does not plan to move.
In the city of Lyman, Donetsk region, which was liberated on October 1 after 127 days under Russian occupation, an elderly couple is riding a white tricycle trailer.hungry fills the pieces. The rocket hit a fir tree.
“They are good children! They brought a saw and cut the tree for me.” – Volodymyr Kutsevich tells about the Ukrainian soldiers guarding the city.
The withdrawal of the Russians from the port is considered a serious setback for the Kremlin. The Russians backed down a day after Putin signed a document that unjustifiably recognized Donetsk and three other regions of Ukraine as part of Russia.
Kutsević and his wife tried to leave the port but failed: the rocket attacks intensified and they had to stay in the city throughout the occupation. The elderly couple had to live without heat and electricity. Now they are gathering firewood to prepare for the autumn cold.
Kutsevich lost his brother and many acquaintances in the rocket attack. Russian soldiers stole Soviet medals and stamps that he had collected for years. Their children, who are currently abroad, could not communicate during the occupation. Now they don’t call very often.