Russia shelled Bakhmut even during the “Christmas truce”
On January 7, explosions were heard in the almost empty streets of Bakhmut, which is currently a particularly intense fighting in Ukraine’s manufacturing sector, despite Moscow’s consumption of fire on the day of Christmas according to the Julian calendar.
The city left most of its pre-war population of 70,000 people; volunteers from humanitarian organizations, at risk of their lives, with the remaining inhabitants.
“Good God, our city used to be so beautiful,” exclaims Olga, 75, dressed festively on Christmas Day with shopping bags in her hands. “There were roses and flowers everywhere,” she grows, shuddering at the sound of a distant explosion. “It was clean, everything was in order with us.”
Another local resident, also Olga, scorned the idea of some kind of Christmas respite from Russia: “I think they are cheating, it’s obvious. What can be said here? If someone promises, that someone must fulfill it. I don’t understand what they want here?
will be announced on January 6 that the frequency of the 36-hour break in work, despite the fact that Ukraine rejected the ceasefire offer. Now Moscow has said that Russian troops returned fire in response to shelling from Ukrainian forces; Reuters was unable to determine if there were any explosions that were heard in Bakhmut.
“Ceasefire. Do you know how it works? asks 30-year-old volunteer Vasily Lizin. – When Putin says that there will be fuel consumption, in fact, everything happens quite the opposite: there are no consequences. Yesterday they shelled us a lot. At night it was more or less calm. But this is how it usually happens: one day there is shelling, the next day it is calmer.”
Volunteers like Lizin take heed of “invincibility centers” set up to provide free heat, water, internet, mobile communications, electricity and medicines as Russian strikes constitute basic civilian infrastructure.
“When we came to another center yesterday for 15-20 minutes, a rocket hit us; damaged the car, killed one person and wounded four, – says Lizin, standing in a bulletproof vest and with a helmet on his head. “Our volunteers were injured, the guy’s limb was torn off with exceptional comfort, he was evacuated…”