In japanese Ukraine, the Russian winter offensive has had little success thus far. The beneficial properties on the bottom are small, and the losses are excessive. This is applicable, for instance, to the preventing across the city of Vuhledar, 50 kilometres from the Russian-occupied metropolis of Donetsk.
Vuhledar, a former stronghold of coal mining, is now residence to solely about 1,000 inhabitants. The sight and situation of the town are surprising. Not a single constructing might be discovered that doesn't present extreme injury.
The dwelling situations are extraordinarily troublesome, most likely nearly unimaginable for Central Europeans. Ingesting water can be missing; there isn't a cooker or electrical energy to boil snow in some locations.
There was little signal of the Ukrainian armed forces round and in Vuhledar. Their artillery hearth on Russian positions was consistently audible; counterfire might be heard. The title of the city, loosely translated as "coal reward", nonetheless reminds one of many as soon as nice significance of the heavy trade.
Simply as desolate as in Vuhledar is the scenario on the opposite aspect of the entrance line, a couple of kilometres away. Not a single soul is to be seen; the struggle additionally scars these villages.
Whether or not the inhabitants will ever return is questionable; what is for certain is that Vuhledar and many of the cities within the Donetsk Basin will most likely by no means regain the financial significance that they had in Ukraine earlier than the struggle.
ORF reporter Christian Wehrschütz accompanies the baker Oleg and his worker Viktor in Vuhledar. Collectively, they convey 1,500 loaves of bread baked the night time earlier than from Pokrovsk, an hour's drive away.
On the best way, they needed to move a number of Ukrainian military checkpoints. A number of kilometres earlier than reaching their vacation spot, they placed on flak jackets and helmets, as a result of Vuhledar is a struggle zone and artillery hearth is feasible at any time.
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