Dire Conditions in the Devastated Eastern Ukrainian Town
LYMAN, Ukraine – As snowflakes descend and temperatures plummet, the remaining residents of Lyman, a town in eastern Ukraine, brace themselves for a challenging winter. Over a year has passed since Ukrainian forces expelled Russian troops who occupied Lyman for five months, yet the struggle to keep warm persists. “It doesn’t depend on people, but rather on the weather,” commented 63-year-old Hennadiy Batsak as he sat by a plain wood-burning stove in his modest flat.
The sight of the stove seems incongruous in Batsak’s late Soviet-era apartment, but for most townspeople, it serves as the sole source of heat during the long and relentless winter, with temperatures frequently dropping below freezing. Mayor Oleksandr Zhuravlyov recognizes that rebuilding Lyman is impossible while fighting continues nearby. Consequently, the residents bundle up in coats and rely on their stoves for survival.
Situated a mere 15 kilometers (nine miles) from the front line, Lyman lies to the north of Ukraine’s coal and steel heartland, which has been embroiled in conflict for nearly a decade since Moscow-backed proxy forces rebelled in 2014. Prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion in February of the previous year, Lyman had a population of nearly 20,000 people, according to Mayor Zhuravlyov. Although a blistering Ukrainian counteroffensive in October forced the Russian forces to retreat, the town has since been left in ruins. Only around 5,400 residents remain, and approximately 90% of the town’s infrastructure has sustained substantial damage or been completely destroyed.
The Determination of Lyman’s Remaining Inhabitants
The few residents who have chosen to remain or return are predominantly older individuals who harbor no desire to abandon the place they have called home for most of their lives. “Here,” proclaimed 78-year-old Volodymyr Tkachenko, pointing to the ground. With a piece of bread, he motioned into the distance and explained, “Over there, other people live. But I am here since 1945, and I’m still here today.” After seeking refuge in the comparatively safe city of Dnipro during the previous winter, Tkachenko returned home. He now relies on the humble metal stove for warmth, slowly feeding it logs that have been collected by humanitarian volunteers and left in piles along Lyman’s main roads.
The town’s tranquility is often shattered by the thunderous roar of military vehicles traversing the snow-covered streets, reminding residents that danger is ever-present. While Lyman is calmer than its surrounding areas, the echoes of shelling can still be heard in the distance. In July, a barrage of Russian rockets rained down on the town center, claiming the lives of nine people. Mayor Zhuravlyov acknowledges that the decision of whether to return or remain in Lyman falls upon each citizen. Given that the municipality lies within an active combat zone, the local authorities currently lack the means to repair homes and ensure complete safety.