The last remaining inhabitants of the Ukrainian ghost town face the wrath of the onslaught of Russia
TIME is running out for residents of a Ukrainian ghost town facing the wrath of a Russian onslaught.
Nadiezhda and her husband Yurii live in a cellar and cook in the yard, where they bury a neighbor killed by a landmine blast.
They have no electricity, gas or running water.
Their apartment block had a hole dozens of meters in the front that had been ripped apart by artillery shells.
But they are still determined to stay.
And they barely flinched amid the howl of the incoming salvoes, which began on the second day of the war.
About 100,000 people have fled Lysychansk, the zombie twin city of Severodonetsk.
Remaining from 10,000 to 20,000.
Only duty and desperation keep them there.
Nadiezhda, 61, and Yurii are among the last six residents of a five-story Soviet compound that was once home to 100 people.
They lived off volunteer units, who ran the Russian artillery batteries that surrounded the city on three sides.
Citizens charge their phones on soldiers’ generators, but only to use them as torches because there is no cell signal in the city.
All stores are closed.
All working cars are gone.
There were only scattered car wrecks scattered on the empty streets.
Several vehicles, stripped of their windows and wheels, were pulled into makeshift barricades.
But the checkpoints are mostly unmanned because there are so few residents left.
Three bridges connecting Lysychansk with Severodonetsk were destroyed.
“We were almost completely cut off. This is as bad as Mariupol,” said Nadiezhda, referring to the siege of the southern port that left some 20,000 dead.
Near her house, the ruins of the city’s Palace of Culture caught fire.
In a garden square, the tails of two Russian rockets protrude from the ground.
Nadiezhdah added: “My parents met in this square. I’ve lived here all my life. My heart bleeds but where do I go? ”
Brussels promotes hopes of EU state
The European Commission yesterday supported Ukraine’s acquisition of EU candidate status.
The war-torn country can now be added to the countries vying for membership as early as next week.
All 27 EU leaders must agree to run for office.
The leaders of France, Germany and Italy backed them during their trip to Kyiv on Thursday.
Yesterday, the European Commission officially backed the bid.
Police chief Ursula von der Leyen wore a coat in Ukrainian colors and said: “We all know that Ukrainians are willing to die for the prospect of Europe. We want them to live with us for the European dream.”
Ukrainian President Zelensky hailed the decision as “the first step on the road to EU membership that will certainly bring us closer to victory”.
He thanked Ms. von der Leyen for the Commission’s “historic decision” and said he expected a positive outcome at the June 23-24 summit.
Russia accuses the West of manipulating Ukraine with promises of integration.
Those left behind are mostly the poor and lonely.
The Sun watched stooped old women pulling trolleys over shards of glass as firecrackers roared around.
Some don’t seem to care whether they live in Ukraine or Russia.
Some want Putin to win.
Police chief Oleh Hryhorov said recently about 35 people have been arrested for cooperating with Russian forces.
For those who want to leave, the only way out is with the police or humanitarian convoys.
“Even if they have a car, there is no gas to sell,” Hryhorov added.
About 30 to 40 brave people on the road every day.
Karina is eight months pregnant and her husband, mother and sister paid someone £400 to take them to safety only to have them disappear with their money.
The family eventually left with the help of the Christian charity, Word Of Life.
Volunteer Jerry O’Reilly eliminates the risks by saying: “I grew up in Belfast. If this is the day God has appointed for me, then I don’t mind if it will. ”
At least four people were killed and seven others injured in air strikes after they left.
Nadiezda gave us her son’s cell phone number and said, “Tell him we’re still alive. We will survive. I am an optimist. But only God knows how it will end.”
Russian missile intercepted
VLADIMIR Putin suffered yet another naval embarrassment when a Russian boat carrying air defense systems to Snake Island was destroyed by the Ukrainian navy yesterday.
It said the Vasily Bekh was being used to transport ammunition, weapons and personnel to the island, vital to protecting sea lanes out of the vital port of Odessa.
Snake Island, 20 miles off the coast, is where the Ukrainian garrison famously responded to demands for surrender by saying: “Russian warship, go on your own.”
This message was broadcast on anti-maritime radio stations and immediately became an excited cry of the resistance.
That warship, the 12,490-ton missile cruiser Moskva, was later sunk on 14 April.
It is said to have been hit by a pair of Ukrainian-made Neptune cruise missiles, with heavy loss of life.
It is believed that more scores could have been annihilated when the Vasily Bekh was attacked in the Black Sea yesterday.
Moscow has refused to confirm the incident.