Reportage
In Shevchenko, the scars of the passage of the Russians, after the liberation by the Ukrainians
Audio 01:51
Carcass of a Russian tank in a Ukrainian village (photo illustration).
© RFI / Sami Boukhelifa
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
In southern Ukraine, near the front, where the Ukrainian army has made some gains and liberated several localities including the village of Shevchenko.
The inhabitants feel relieved, but dismayed by the disaster left by the Russians.
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With our special correspondents in Shevchenko,
Sébastien Németh
and
Jad El Khoury
In front of the school, a huge crater of several meters is visible.
A deep stigma of the passage of the Russian army which bombarded the village and settled there temporarily before being repelled.
Dimitro, a Ukrainian soldier: “
It's a Totchka-U rocket bombardment.
I don't know what the Russians were aiming for.
Maybe they thought we were there, even though it's a school.
We took over the village, we feel both happy and bitter.
Because when the Russians leave, they leave only destruction behind them.
»
Ukrainians call it “
Russian peace
”.
When the Russian army passes, then leaves again, leaving behind a field of ruins.
Listening to the news on his old radio, an elder, Mykolai Ivanovich shakes his head at the damage and bursts into tears as he recalls his native land finally liberated.
“
We are happy.
Ukraine will always be Ukraine.
Ukraine was and will be.
I was born here.
My parents were born here and were buried here.
Where death finds you, you must stay close to your parents.
»
"
I don't know if the war will end
"
Limping with an injured leg, Mykolai Sergeievich aims a rocket behind his house.
The old man does not know if it exploded and says he is revolted by this weapon.
He addresses the Russians: “
Go home.
Leave our land.
We will stay strong and we will not give Ukraine to Russia.
I don't know if the war will end, or if our peoples will ever be able to be friends.
»
Shevchenko is only a few kilometers from the front and the shells continue to fall there sometimes.
But the Ukrainian army ensures that it is preparing a major counter-attack to liberate the entire south of the country.
►Also read: Report - War in Ukraine: on the front line, with the Karpatska Sich volunteer battalion
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Ukraine
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Defense