Severodonetsk is a city on fire: a photo report from the city where the fighting continues

More than three weeks without gas, water, electricity, internet and communications — this is how peaceful people live in Severodonetsk, Luhansk region. The Russian occupiers deprived people of all communications. The Russian military operates on the principle of «scorched earth,» burning high-rise buildings and all the infrastructure of the city to the ground.

The head of the Luhansk Regional State Administration, Serhiy Haidai, said on June 1 that the Russians controlled 70% of the city. Hromadske Radio correspondent had visited the city a few days earlier.

«Such shelling! Such shelling! The man was still breathing, and his head was smashed. The woman was probably killed immediately,” said Oleksandr, a local pensioner.

He is walking slowly along the central street of Severodonetsk under heavy shelling by the Russians. A local says he is used to the explosions and is not going to hide.

– Are you used to the shelling?
– Well, where else can I go?
– Is your apartment intact?
– So far it’s intact.
– God willing, it will continue to be intact.
– Do you not live in basements?
– No. Others live in basements, 40 people are in mine. They’re from elsewhere, from new areas. They might have come by foot, but live with us — in the basement. And where to go if everything burns down? Maybe they brought their documents. But they didn’t bring clothes, nothing. That’s how we live.
– Do you hide anywhere from such heavy shelling?
– No.

– You won’t go down to the basement? And if the house is completely surrounded?
– Then I’ll go to the basement.

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Also read: Evacuation is really more like a lottery — the head of the Luhansk patrol police

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Opposite to Oleksandr, Lydia watches the central market in Severodonetsk burn. The woman is worried that the fire will spread to her apartment, because there is no one to put out the fire.

«It started, then spread to the corner. And it went out. How long has it been here for? An hour maybe.»

 

Today there are about thirteen thousand people left in Severodonetsk. The number of victims of Russian aggression is growing every day. Due to the lack of centralized water supply, people are forced to go to the wells or to places where the city authorities were able to install water tanks. It is impossible to repair communications — they are too damaged. In addition, the Russians do not allow for routine silence.

Viktor goes home with water. He says: he stood in line for two hours.

– There is no light, no gas.
– Do you often go to collect water?
– Often. We have no matches, no flashlights, no candles. OK, let’s go, because they are already «starting.»
– And how often?
– Three times a day.
– What do you use this water for?
– To clean myself, brush your teeth, wash my pants and socks, cook some porridge.

On the streets in different parts of the city, you can see homemade street toilets. And near each entrance, On the streets in different parts of the city you can see homemade street toilets. And near each entrance, there is a homemade stove.

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Also listen to: Russians don’t need people, they need a «check» that they came to the border of Luhansk region – Haidai

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But the next outing for a person may be their last. After all, the Russians are now targeting residential areas to destroy civilians. Today, about thirteen thousand people remain living in such horrible conditions in Severodonetsk.

Yanina Lvutina, Luhansk Region, HromadskeRadio