Vasylenkove, a village on the frontline

Ukrainian soldiers were based only five kilometres away. Russian troops dug trenches around the houses and set up their artillery unit at the school. Little now remains of the school: empty cans and shell casings are scattered over its charred remains.
Iryna Skachko16 November 2022UA DE EN ES FR IT RU

У школі розташовувалася база окупантів © Денис Волоха In der Schule war das Standquartier der Besatzer stationiert © Denys Volocha The invaders set up a base in the school © Denys Volokha Los invasores instalaron su sede en la escuela © Denys Volokha Les occupants avaient installé leur base dans l’école © Denys Voloha В школе располагалась база оккупантов © Денис Волоха

The invaders set up a base in the school © Denys Volokha

Ukrainian forces were based only five kilometres away in Basileyevka. Russian troops dug open and covered trenches around the houses in Vasylenkove and set up their artillery unit at the school. Little now remains of the school: empty cans and the casings of shells fired at the Ukrainian lines lie scattered over its charred remains.

Сліди окупантів у шкільному підвалі © Оксана Комарова Hinterlassenschaften der Besatzer im Keller der Schule © Oksana Komarova The school basement: what the invaders left behind © Oksana Komarova Lo que dejaron los invasores en el sótano de la escuela © Oksana Komarova Le sous-sol de l’école après le départ des occupants © Oksana Komarova Следы оккупантов в школьном подвале © Оксана Комарова

The school basement: what the invaders left behind © Oksana Komarova

© Оксана Комарова © Oksana Komarova © Oksana Komarova © Oksana Komarova © Oksana Komarova © Оксана Комарова

© Oksana Komarova

The school in Vasylenkove, built in 1911, was one of the oldest in the district. Even now, when the autumn winds howl through its scorched walls, you can see what a handsome building it was.

Залишки сторічної школи © Оксана Комарова Ruine der hundertjährigen Schule © Oksana Komarova The remains of the school © Oksana Komarova Ruinas de la escuela centenaria © Oksana Komarova Vestiges de cette école centenaire © Oksana Komarova Остатки столетней школы © Оксана Комарова

The remains of the school © Oksana Komarova

A labyrinth of trenches cross the school garden. Judging by the amount of rubbish and empty cans (“not for sale – liver paste”) Russian forces expected to be here for a long time. They left in a great hurry. Even official documents, like this receipt for a weapons delivery, were left behind: it indicates that soldiers from Unit 55443 NL, based in Kotovo village (Novgorod Region, Volga Federal District) were based here.

Окупанти залишили по собі документи © Денис Волоха Die Besatzer haben Dokumente zurückgelassen © Denys Volocha The invaders left documents behind © Denys Volokha Los invasores dejaron sus documentos © Denys Volokha Les occupants ont laissé des documents derrière eux © Denys Voloha Оккупанты оставили после себя документы © Денис Волоха

The invaders left documents behind © Denys Volokha

“The school burned down in mid-summer,” says a senior pupil Olexiy Serhiyenko, proudly showing on his mobile phone a video he found on the internet taken by a drone flying overhead.

Олексій розповідає про життя під окупацією © Денис Волоха Oleksij berichtet vom Leben unter der Besatzung © Denys Volocha Olexiy describes life under occupation © Denys Volokha Olexiy habla sobre la vida en la ocupación © Denys Volokha Oleksiy évoque la vie sous l’occupation © Denys Voloha Алексей рассказывает о жизни под оккупацией © Денис Волоха

Olexiy describes life under occupation © Denys Volokha

Today Olexiy is probably the only child left in Vasylenkove. He can’t study; the school was officially closed last week.

“We went to the neighbouring village”, says his mother “but they now study online. We don’t have any connection here, so Olexiy can’t study yet. We must wait till the internet is restored.”

People fled from the northern outskirts of the village in late April when enemy vehicles drove straight across gardens and orchards and began digging trenches next to their houses -- “like Colorado beetles”, say the locals.

“They set up mortars in our gardens and asked which wells were safe to drink from,” remembers Olexiy: “they were afraid the water was poisoned. They looked for bugs in the houses for fear of being overheard.”

The invaders organised three bases in the village, Olexiy says. To begin with, before they were rotated out, they acted like three different forces. They did not get on and even took shots at one another: “There were men from the DPR and LPR [Donetsk and Luhansk “people’s republics”], Buryats, Chechens and Tajiks …”

Жити у північній частині села Василенкове зараз неможливо: все зруйновано © Денис Волоха Der Norden von Vasylenkove ist jetzt unbewohnbar — alles ist zerstört © Denys Volocha It’s impossible to live in north Vasylenkove today: everything has been destroyed © Denys Volokha Ahora es imposible vivir en la parte norte de Vasylenkove: todo está destruido © Denys Volokha Il est désormais impossible de vivre dans la partie nord du village de Vasylenkove : tout a été détruit © Denys Voloha Жить в северной части села Василенково сейчас невозможно: все разрушено © Денис Волоха

It’s impossible to live in north Vasylenkove today: everything has been destroyed © Denys Volokha

Olexiy’s granny, Maria Yefimivna, went to join her sister at the other end of the village. It was a little less dangerous there. She wants to spend the winter in her own house. But many repairs must first be made. There is a gaping hole in one wall, no glass in the windows and the roof is open to the skies.

Russian soldiers lived in the house. They stole the divan and wrote V for Victory on the door. A sniper was based in the loft and the fighters wrote verse on the walls of the toilet.

В хаті Марії Юхимівни облаштувалися окупанти © Олексій Сергієнко In Maria Juchymivnas Haus hatten sich die Besatzer eingerichtet © Oleksij Serhienko © Olexiy Serhiyenko Los invasores se instalaron en la casa de Maria Yukhymivna © Olexiy Sergienko Les occupants s’étaient installés dans la maison de Maria Yukhimivna © Oleksiy Serguienko В доме Марии Ефимовны обосновались оккупанты © Алексей Сергиенко

© Olexiy Serhiyenko

На дверях хати окупанти намалювали літеру V © Олексій Сергієнко An die Haustür hatten die Besatzer ein V gemalt © Oleksij Serhienko © Olexiy Serhiyenko En la puerta, los ocupantes pintaron la letra V © Olexiy Sergienko Les occupants ont peint la lettre V sur la porte de la maison © Oleksiy Serguienko На дверях дома оккупанты нарисовали букву V © Алексей Сергиенко

© Olexiy Serhiyenko

In the middle of the courtyard is a pit.

“That used to be our [underground] winter store,” explains Olexiy.

“After it was hit by a shell, the Russians turned it into a covered trench. They dragged their bags in there and hung a curtain over the entrance so that a drone could not spot them,” he says. “Then there was another direct hit and that was it.”

Погріб спочатку поретворився на бліндаж, а потім на могилу для окупантів © Олексій Сергієнко Der Keller wurde erst zum Schutzbunker und dann zum Grab für die Besatzer © Oleksij Serhienko The store became a trench, then a grave for the invaders © Olexiy Serhiyenko El sótano se convirtió primero en una trinchera y luego en una tumba para invasores © Olexiy Sergienko La cave s’est d’abord transformée en abri, puis en sépulture pour les occupants © Oleksiy Serguienko Погреб сначала превратился в блиндаж, а затем в могилу для оккупантов © Алексей Сергиенко

The store became a trench, then a grave for the invaders © Olexiy Serhiyenko

Olexiy has a collection of trophies (shell casings, gas masks, a military helmet) – enough to create a museum. All the dangerous materials, left by the invaders, such as boxes full of unused shells, were taken by Ukrainian forces.

The craters left by incoming shells can be found next to the houses and in the orchards. There among the tall weeds are many unexploded shells and Ukrainian sappers still have a lot of work to do, especially in the surrounding fields. One man was blown up by a mine, the only death in the village. Others were wounded. They were saved by their neighbours.

The invaders also arrested one lad. “After the school was hit the Russians were in shock,” recalls Olexiy. “They themselves said that 50 of their men were buried there. Straightaway they introduced a curfew from 4 pm onwards. The lads were standing outside a house and the Russians began checking their phones. They didn’t like something Sasha had on his phone. At first, they dragged him round the village then they took him to Kupyansk, it seems. Later they let him go.”

В місцевих садках і на городах можуть залишатися нерозірвані снаряди © Денис Волоха In den Vorgärten und Gemüsegärten können sich noch nichtexplodierte Granaten befinden © Denys Volocha Unexploded shells can be found in gardens and orchards © Denys Volokha En las huertas locales pueden permanecer los proyectiles sin explotar © Denys Volokha Des obus non explosés peuvent subsister dans les jardins et les vergers locaux © Denys Voloha В местных садах и огородах могут оставаться неразорванные снаряды © Денис Волоха

Unexploded shells can be found in gardens and orchards © Denys Volokha

Лінія фронту проходило буквально по одній з вулиць Василенкового © Денис Волоха Die Frontlinie verlief buchstäblich auf einer der Straßen von Vasylenkove © Denys Volocha The frontline ran along a street in Vasylenkove © Denys Volokha La línea del frente literalmente pasaba por una de las calles de Vasylenkove © Denys Volokha La ligne de front se trouvait littéralement le long d’une rue de Vassylenkove © Denys Voloha Линия фронта проходила буквально по одной из улиц Василенково © Денис Волоха

The frontline ran along a street in Vasylenkove © Denys Volokha

Зруйноване Василенкове © Денис Волоха Zerstörungen in Vasylenkove © Denys Volocha A ruined building in Vasylenkove © Denys Volokha Vasylenkove en ruinas © Denys Volokha Destruction de Vassylenkove © Denis Voloha Разрушенное Василенково © Денис Волоха

A ruined building in Vasylenkove © Denys Volokha

Now the villagers are gradually returning home. Only electricity has been restored so far. In some places people can catch a mobile signal. They are trying to patch up walls and roofs before the frosts begin.

“We’ll survive the winter somehow and have another think in the spring …” says Olexiy’s grandmother. “Thank God our home didn’t burn down! This old woman will see out her days here,” she rejoices.

Автобусна зупинка у Василенковому © Денис Волоха Bushaltestelle in Vasylenkove © Denys Volocha “Everything will be ok, Ukraine” bus stop in Vasylenkove © Denys Volokha Parada de autobús en Vasylenkove © Denys Volokha Un arrêt d’autobus à Vassylenkove © Denis Voloha Автобусная остановка в Василенково © Денис Волоха

“Everything will be ok, Ukraine” bus stop in Vasylenkove © Denys Volokha

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