Ukrainian city of Lysychansk bears high cost of war

By Davit Kachkachishvili

LUHANSK, Ukraine (AA) - The eastern Ukrainian city of Lysychansk, one of the most intense hotspots of the Russia-Ukraine war, came under heavy bombardment Wednesday.

Lysychansk, in the Luhansk region, has suffered major damage from the fighting.

Smoke rises from the city, which is located on the front line, about 600 kilometers (373 miles) from the capital Kyiv.

The sounds of explosions are heard all over Lysychansk, which has been the scene of clashes in which both sides used artillery in the last few days.

Houses and streets are empty as most people have left because there is no gas, electricity or water in the city, which is under intense fire.

- Evacuations from region continue

Civilians who want to leave the region are brought to Lysychansk with the support of the Ukrainian security forces and taken to safer cities in vehicles driven by volunteers.

Tatiana Udavenko, 29, an expectant mother who is waiting for a vehicle so she can evacuate from the region with her 8-year-old daughter, said they will go to the city of Dnipro.

Noting that she wants to reach Dnipro as quickly as possible, Udavenko said: "I am nine months pregnant. The child is actually about to be born. It can be born at any time. It is very difficult to wait and stand."

Udavenko's husband, Vitya Brasuk, said they wanted to get away from the region as a family.

"Maybe we will go for good. Since we are young, we will try to start a new life. Actually, how long we will stay there depends on the war," Brasuk said.

Their daughter, Elena, said she was very afraid because of the war.

"I'm in second grade at school. I miss school and my friends so much. I dream of the war ending soon," she added.

Smoke is seen rising from Severodonetsk, which is close to the city of Lysychansk and is known to be full of Ukrainian and Russian soldiers engaged in battles.

Since the distance between the two cities is very small, the sounds of explosions and clashes in Severodonetsk can be heard clearly from Lysychansk.