Life continues under bullets in war-torn Ukraine’s Bakhmut

By Davit Kachkachishvili

BAKHMUT, Ukraine (AA) - As the Russia-Ukrain war soon enters its first year, civilians continue to fight for their lives under bullets in Bakhmut in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, one of the country's most conflict-ridden places.

People in Bakhmut, which has been extremely badly damaged, are struggling to survive in difficult conditions.

While almost 90% of Bakhmut's residents have been evacuated for security reasons, the remaining people are living on distributed aid.

Speaking to Anadolu, Aleksey Ockur said that he took in his relatives after they lost their homes in the town of Soledar and temporarily moved to Bakhmut.

The 47-year-old recalled that his wife and child were evacuated to the city of Dnipro, while he stayed at home to care for his bedridden mother.

Ockur pointed out that there was no gas, electricity, drinking water, or telephone in the city, "They gave us wood stoves. We chop wood every day. We prepare food over the fire."

Explaining that they are trying to meet their needs for clean water from rain or melting snow, he said, "90% of the town has been destroyed. Every house has been damaged. Bakhmut was a very beautiful town." Meanwhile, children are struggling to survive in the destroyed city instead of playing.

12-year-old Katya and her 11-year-old brother Sasha, who have taken shelter in Ockur's house, explained that they live in areas where the war has been going on for months.

The two siblings have become accustomed to living in an environment where violent conflicts are frequent and say they spend more time helping their mothers than playing games.

Instead of playing, the children sometimes watch the rockets flying over Bakhmut.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan in Istanbul