Europe

[Visited: May 2023]

Borodyanka has a history with Russians: back in 1863, it was the site of an uprising against the Russians who were then ruling Ukraine. The same Russians then liberated the town from the Nazis in 1943, after which Ukraine was incorporated into the Soviet Union. Like the rest of the country, Borodyanka had finally been living in independence and peace since 1991, until the Russians invaded the country in 2022. Trying to seize Kyiv, they invaded from Belarus, and Bordyanka was on their way to the capital. Not only did they heavily attack the town with artillery and air strikes, they also blockaded the town. People who survived, starved because they were trapped under destroyed buildings (rescue efforts were made impossible), or they were deprived of food and other supplies. Thus, Borodyanka suffered greatly in the initial phase of the Russian invasion.
We are on our way from Kyiv, driving through the rather flat landscape west of the capital. We see a small cemetery of destroyed Russian tanks at the side of the road. Otherwise, there is not much to remind us that we are in a country at war. A war that has raged here just over a year ago, when Russia was on their way to conquer Kyiv - or, so they thought. When we reach Borodyanka, however, that all changes. We first see a few buildings with some damage, and then come to the main square of the town. Entire apartment blocks have been destroyed. Black ash covers the walls above the windows, which are gone. It seems that one of the main ruins is now cut in two: the middle part, which was a huge hole, has been cleared. A large, black banner hangs from one of the buildings: Kick Russia out of the UN!
In front of the buildings, two boys are playing football. Life, after all, goes on. In the middle of the square, like I saw in many other places in Ukraine: a statue of Taras Shevchenko, the great Ukrainian poet, considered by many the fundament of Ukrainian literature as well as a champion of Ukrainian independence. Russian soldiers have shot his head: a large bullet hole has destroyed the bust. A symbolic example of the war: Russians can wreak destruction, but they cannot take away the spirit of the Ukrainians. The bullet through the head of their famous poet in fact shows the impotence of the Russians. We walk the main street, see more destroyed houses, and on our way out of Borodyanka, come across the ruins of another apartment block. On the side, in Ukrainian and English, a slogan saying "We want to live here!". Well yes, I can only hope that this building will be rebuilt, and its inhabitants return. If they are still alive, that is.

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Personal travel impressions both in words and images from Borodyanka (Ukraine). Clicking on the pictures enlarges them and enables you to send the picture as a free e-card or download it for personal use, for instance, on your weblog. Or click on the map above to visit more places close to Borodyanka.
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Borodyanka > Ukraine > Europe

[Visited: May 2023]

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