Russian forces were driven out of this village outside Kharkiv, Ukraine: The Picture Show: NPR
Nickolai Hammar / NPR
The Ukrainian military escort said the Russians were pushed out of the village of Mala Rohan late last month.
But then, Tatiana, the military officer, who only uses his own name because of Ukraine’s military policy, pointed into the middle of the field, at the wreck of a tank and helicopter. Both were tagged with the letter “Z”, which the Russians used to represent their military offensive in Ukraine.
The vehicle and plane were shot down just a few days ago, she said. In the distance, the sound of firecrackers echoed throughout the field. A puff of smoke rose. The battle for this town, just east of Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, and less than an hour’s drive from the Russian border, has been intense.
Tatiana would not reveal the exact number, but she said that “many” Ukrainian civilians and soldiers died. Some of the dead Russian fighters were buried in a mass grave on the hillside, she said.
The scenes in Mala Rohan are emblematic of the fighting that has taken place in Ukraine since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February. According to residents and soldiers interviewed by NPR, the Russian and Ukrainian militaries are engaged in some direct firefights. Instead, they said, the Russians were circling artillery shells, mortars and unguided missiles in the general direction of Ukrainian positions.
Second lieutenant Dmitrii said that this war had become an artillery battle.
“The Russians are not very good at fighting,” he said. “They are good at shelling and sending missiles, but when they get close, they have a lot of casualties.”
The fighting resulted in the destruction of the village. Most of it everyone ran away. But Natalia Blizniuk, 67, was sitting on the wall near the main road. Her house was in tatters – the roof was blown off; broken windows; she has no heater, no water – but she says she has nowhere to go. She said she couldn’t understand this war.
“I don’t understand who is right and who is wrong,” she said. “We need peace. That’s the only thing we need.”
On the other side of the village, Ukrainian soldiers entered a bombed warehouse. Russian soldiers turned it into a makeshift barracks. One The Ukrainian missile penetrated the walls and into the basement, leaving everything covered with soot.
Captain Daniil looks over the spoils. Ukrainian troops advance quickly and The Russians fled in haste, leaving behind medicine, food, and rubber boots. Daniil stopped in front of a table full of unused bullets. He uses the flashlight on his cell phone to check each one.
“An irony of fate,” he said as he methodically picked up the ammo and put it in his pocket. “Now,” he said, “these bullets will kill the people who brought them here.”
Hanna Palamarenko contributed reporting to this story.