Russia-Ukraine War: ‘It barely exists anymore’: How Russia transformed Ukrainian city Vovchansk into a ghost town

‘It barely exists anymore’: How Russia transformed Ukrainian city Vovchansk into a ghost town (Picture credit: AP)

Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, the world has been grappling with its consequences in various forms. The conflict has led to the loss of countless lives, the destruction of cities, and economic turmoil, as is typical of any war.
As the Russian offensive concentrated on eastern Ukraine, the Donetsk and Donbas regions suffered the most severe impact. Vovchansk, a Ukrainian industrial town near the Russian border, has been reduced to rubble following intense Russian attacks.
“It barely exists anymore,” news agency AFP quoted Vovchansk’s mayor, Tamaz Gambarashvili, who now operates from the regional capital, Kharkiv. The city has endured relentless shelling and bombardment that has flattened nearly 90 per cent of its centre, creating what drone footage describes as similar to a “lunar landscape” stretching for miles.
The town, once home to nearly 20,000 people, was vulnerable from the start of the war due to its location. Lieutenant Denys Yaroslavsky, who led a reconnaissance unit, expressed frustration over the inadequate defence, attributing it to “negligence or corruption” that allowed Russian forces to advance easily.
“We control the city today, but what we control is a pile of rubble,” he said.
Civilians who remained in Vovchansk found themselves struggling to survive, with many seeking shelter in basements for weeks. Galyna Zharova, a resident, described how “all the buildings were burning” as she and her family took shelter.
“No one could have imagined that in just five days, we would be wiped off the face of the Earth,” librarian Nelia Stryzhakova told AFP.
The war has also torn apart family ties, dividing Ukrainian and Russian relatives in painful ways. Kira Dzhafarova, whose mother likely perished after her home was destroyed, is haunted by the knowledge that her family has been split by political allegiances. Of her brother, who resides in Russia and supports Putin, she says, “I now only refer to him as my ‘former brother.'”
The conflict has resulted in heavy casualties on both sides. According to a Wall Street Journal report, around 1 million people have been killed or wounded in this war.
As per Statista, the destruction of housing infrastructure due to the ongoing war was estimated at $56 billion from February 24, 2022, to December 31, 2023, with an additional $34 billion in losses resulting from damage to transportation.
The overall war-related damage to Ukraine was estimated at $152 billion during that timeframe.
The US and its allies have placed more than 20,000 sanctions on Russia in an attempt to disrupt and isolate its economy. However, Russia has been able to navigate these sanctions due to its oil trade remaining unaffected with nations like India and China.