For several weeks, Moscow has been throwing all its forces to take full control of Donbass, in eastern Ukraine. The large city of Sievierodonetsk was continuously bombarded by the Russian army, as was that of Lyssytchansk, just behind.
With our special correspondents in Lyssytchansk, Sebastien Németh and Jad El Khoury
At the barracks, the firefighters have taken out their truck and the inhabitants come one by one, with their cans, to help themselves to water. For several days, they have been living in total precariousness.
Igor, 21 years old.
We have no gas, water, telephone or electricity. There is nothing. Some shops are open. So we get supplies there. For electricity, firefighters start their generators. Of course we are afraid. But we remain hopeful that our army will regain the upper hand and end the war.
The bombs fall non-stop on the city, randomly destroying the roads, the buildings, the infrastructures. Vladimir Ivanovich installs two canisters full of water on his bike.
At 64, he has never seen this.
I was a minor at the time, as an artificer. So explosions, I’ve heard them in my life. But never like this. It’s frightening. You hear the bombs coming but you never know what’s going to be hit.
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“Everything we can do, we do”
Even if the war slows down their efforts, the 50 fire soldiers of the barracks try as best they can to help the inhabitants to survive.
Alexander Chukov, Deputy Head.
The work is very difficult, with the bombardments. And all the energy is cut off. But we try to help in any way we can. Humanitarian, evacuations… Everything we can do, we do.
Lysytchansk, already constantly bombarded, could soon suffer the same fate as Sievierodonetskmaking the precariousness of the inhabitants even stronger.
