KAMYANKA (UKRAINE): As the temperatures drop down in eastern Ukraine, making the situation worsen, resident Sergiy Khmil says he has little choice but to use the heaps of ammunition boxes left by the retreating Russian forces as firewood this winter.
Khmil further said that without a proper arrangement of wood, he will probably freeze amid the chilling weather in the ruins of the devastated village of Kamyanka.
He further added that a present the only challenge is to get enough sliced wood, as one can observe people standing in a large queue to receive the donated wood from volunteers.
Although his home was razed to the grounds by shelling, he is still working hard at work converting his summer kitchen into unprepared winter lodging and is now occupied with blankets, ammunition wrecks and a furnace pieced together from the Russian shell remaining.
“I need to protect the walls with an extra layer of insulation, as it will help him in the winter, Khmil said.
Village shelled, bombarded by Russian helicopters
The village was shelled and bombarded by helicopters in March before Russian tanks stormed the area as Russian forces marched south from Izyum during the early days of the attack.
According to residents soon after the arrival, the Russians occupied the buildings, looting homes, stealing liquor, and driving drunk.
Resident Volodymyr Tsybulya, 53 was busy repairing the roof of his sister, and said that they started to break into garages and houses sitting there, enjoying liquor overnight.
They were even enjoying it while grenades and when came to my house, found my bathroom was destroyed by a grenade, he added.
After the retreat of Russian forces scores of destroyed villages were left devastated including that of Kamyanka on the outskirts of Izyum.
Mass graves found in area
Meanwhile, since retaking control of the area, Ukrainian officials have jumbled to pick up the pieces, while finding mass graves and taking stock of the damage in the formerly occupied territories.
The deputy mayor of Izyum, Mykhaylo Ishyuk said that the situation is vulnerable ahead of winter, with about 30 to 40 percent of the roofs in the city ruined by the fighting.
“We are facing a shortage of building materials and construction equipment, and even labor shortage is another challenging issue and temperatures will further decline below freezing in the coming days”, he said.
Mykhaylo Ishyuk further added that the situation in Kamyanka is even worse. Almost all the roofs on the 550 homes and buildings in the village have been either damaged or not suitable for use. outright destroyed. However, he said that they are watching the situation carefully. – APP/
