A new video provides a rare glimpse inside the front-line city of Vovchansk, Ukraine, which has been heavily impacted by Russia’s offensive in the northern region. The town, located just three miles from the Russian border, has seen intense street fighting and shelling since Russian troops crossed the border earlier this month. Most residents have either fled or been evacuated to safer areas, such as Kharkiv. Images and reports have emerged in recent days showing the devastation caused by the ongoing conflict in Vovchansk.
Drone footage captured by Ukrainian videographer Kostya Liberov shows bodies in civilian clothes scattered on the streets of the town. The video, which also appears to show bodies in soldier uniforms, does not provide much detail on the state of the bodies or how they died. Ukrainian authorities have reported “first executions of civilians by the Russian military” in Vovchansk, with one resident allegedly being killed after trying to escape. Governor Oleh Sinegubov claims that about 100 residents remain in the town and are being held hostage by Russian forces, preventing them from evacuating.
The Prosecutor General’s Office in Ukraine is investigating a case of two civilians allegedly being shot in Vovchansk, one of whom died while the other survived. Details of the incident are still unclear, but the case is being treated as a violation of the laws and customs of war. Despite these claims, there has been no official response from Russia regarding the allegations of civilian executions in Vovchansk or the bodies seen in the drone footage. Fighting continues in the city, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praising army brigades for defending the Vovchansk district and the Kharkiv region.
President Zelenskyy and top commander Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi have stated that Russian forces are “completely bogged down” in street battles for control of Vovchansk following minor successes in their offensive. The Russian defense ministry has claimed to be deflecting counterattacks by Ukrainian forces in the city. Lawmaker Viktor Vodolatsky has stated that more than half of Vovchansk is now under Russian control. The situation in Vovchansk remains tense, with conflicting reports about civilian casualties and the ongoing conflict between Ukrainian and Russian forces in the area. Images and videos document the destruction and devastation caused by the military offensive in the town.
