Villages of Ukraine in places military operations preparing for winter
2022.11.08 10:11
By Ray Johnson
Budrigannews.com – The people of Huliaipole in eastern Ukraine are getting ready for their next big battle, which will be the approaching winter, after eight months of war that has destroyed their frontline village.
With several of her neighbors, Natalia, who is sixty years old, sleeps in a dim and filthy basement with barely any space between the beds.
Despite the difficult circumstances and lack of electricity, the cramped basement has helped them survive.
Natalia said, touching one of the beds, “I sleep here.” She said, pointing to the others, ” My neighbor sleeps here. Here, a few more neighbors sleep. Vera, the fifth person, sleeps here. Currently, that is the situation.”
She claimed that during the early stages of Russia’s February 24 invasion, she lived there with her grandchildren.
Despite the absence of beds at the time, the children slept against the wall. We brought pillows, blankets, and carpets. While we were seated on benches, we leaned our children against the wall. “At the time, we were bombarded heavily,” she stated.
She stated that either the fire department provides fresh water or a nearby well provides it.
We initially cooked over an open fire. We bought a gas canister, and now we have gas; however, we need to save it,” she stated.
Huliaipole is a part of the Zaporizhzhia region that Russian President Vladimir Putin said he had annexed at the end of September. Kyiv and its Western allies condemned this move.
Despite the fact that numerous civilians have fled and numerous buildings have been destroyed, Russian forces have never occupied the village. As the sound of shelling reverberates throughout the village, those who remain frequently hide.
The words “I (love) Huliaipole” on a white sign that reads “I (love) Huliaipole” have been scratched off.
Benjamin, a German volunteer who is one of the aid workers assisting residents in preparing for winter, stated, “The winter starts and it is very cold. So we try to support the people with warm shoes and food – what they need.”
Before winter, when temperatures frequently fall far below zero Celsius, the aid workers provided wood stoves.
“We are constantly shelled without being heated. “Raisa Alferova, a 57-year-old paramedic, stated that the working conditions are extremely harsh and challenging.”
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