Evgeniy Maloletka Instagram – VOVCHANSK, Ukraine
Ukrainian officials haven’t officially confirmed whether Russian had taken the villages, which lie in a contested “gray zone” on the border of Ukraine’s Kharkiv region and Russia.
The renewed assault on the region has forced more than 1,700 civilians residing in settlements near the fighting to flee, according to Ukrainian authorities. It comes after Russia stepped up attacks in March targeting energy infrastructure and settlements, which analysts predicted were a concerted effort by Moscow to shape conditions for an offensive.
Today us accompanied an evacuation team described empty streets with multiple buildings destroyed and others on fire. The road was littered with newly made craters and the city was covered in dust and shrapnel with the smell of gunpowder heavy in the air. Mushroom clouds of smoke rose across the skyline as Russian jets conducted multiple airstrikes.
“In the current moment, the situation in Vovchansk and the settlements along the border (with Russia) is incredibly difficult. Constant aviation strikes are carried out, multiple rocket missile systems strikes, artillery strikes,” said Tamaz Hambarashvili, the head of Vovchansk City Military Administration.
“For the second day in a row, we evacuate all the inhabitants of our community who are willing to evacuate.”
“I think that they are destroying the city to make (local) people leave, to make sure there are no militaries, nobody. To create a ‘gray zone,’” Hambarashvili said.
Evacuees bade tearful goodbyes to their neighbors as they were taken away from their homes.
“You lie down and think — whether they will kill you now, or in an hour, or in three,” said resident Valentyna Hrevnova, 75. “I hope that they (Russians) will not come, but ours (Ukrainians) will be here.”
Vera Rudko, 72, was among those who left.
“We drove through Vovchansk in the city center,” Rudko said. “I can’t look at this without tears. Everything is trembling. We didn’t sleep these two nights at all.”
#ukraine #russia #war #invasion | Posted on 11/May/2024 21:37:43
