A video offering a rare glimpse into the devastation caused by Russia’s offensive in northern Ukraine shows bodies lying in the streets of Vovchansk, a front-line town that has borne the brunt of the fighting. The town, which had a pre-war population of 17,000, has been left in ruins by the intense street fighting and shelling as Russian forces advance. Most residents have been evacuated to safer areas, but images and accounts from the town paint a grim picture of the toll taken by the Kremlin’s assault, with reports of civilian executions and residents being held hostage.
Drone footage of Vovchansk, captured by Ukrainian freelance videographer Kostya Liberov, shows bodies in civilian clothes and soldier uniforms lying in the streets of the town. While the footage does not provide details on the state of the bodies or how they died, one frame appears to show bodies lying near the ruins of residential homes, with signs of an explosion nearby. Ukrainian authorities have reported instances of civilians being shot by Russian forces, with one resident killed for refusing to obey orders and trying to escape on foot. The situation in Vovchansk has been described as a violation of the laws and customs of war by Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office.
Despite the ongoing fighting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed gratitude to army brigades defending Vovchansk and the Kharkiv region. Ukrainian military commander Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that Russian forces were “completely bogged down” in street battles for control of Vovchansk, following initial success in Moscow’s new offensive. Russia’s defense ministry claimed to be repelling Ukrainian counterattacks in the town, while a lawmaker reported that over half of Vovchansk was under Russian control. NBC News was unable to verify either side’s battlefield reports due to the continued fighting in the area.
The situation in Vovchansk highlights the human cost of the conflict in Ukraine, with images of smoldering buildings, flattened fences, and bodies in the streets revealing the devastation wrought by Russia’s offensive. Reports of civilian executions, residents being held hostage, and violations of the laws of war underscore the brutality of the conflict and the impact on innocent civilians caught in the crossfire. The continued fighting and conflicting reports from both sides make it difficult to fully assess the situation on the ground in Vovchansk and verify the details of the unfolding tragedy.
The lack of an official response from Russia regarding the claims made by Ukrainian authorities adds to the uncertainty surrounding the events in Vovchansk. The Prosecutor General’s Office is investigating reports of civilians being shot in the town, including an elderly woman in a wheelchair and her husband who survived the attack. With the conflict ongoing and both sides locked in fierce battles for control of Vovchansk, the fate of the remaining residents and the true extent of the violence inflicted upon them remain uncertain. The grim reality of war has hit Vovchansk hard, with its streets now serving as a haunting reminder of the human cost of the conflict in Ukraine.
