[Late-April 2022]
The Chernihiv region in Ukraine endured 37 days of heavy combat and shelling, starting on February 24 as the invasion began, with over 300 people killed and over 1,000 injured. In the city of Chernihiv and in the surrounding suburbs and villages, many buildings were reduced to rubble, and many people suffered from atrocities – murder, torture, rape, and marauding.
You can help bring more aid to Ukrainians in need with a donation to the MWB Ukrainian Emergency Crisis Appeal
Mission Without Borders visited this area nine days after the Russian troops had left Chernihiv region for eastern Ukraine. Our staff delivered 150 food parcels and 150 hygiene parcels.
One of the first villages visited in the region was Krasne. The road to Krasne village is full of burned-down military equipment and broken civilian cars. Russians were shooting civilian cars when people tried to escape the area. Also, everywhere there are signs of destruction caused by horrific weapons and rockets of all types.
In the village itself there is a lot of destruction caused by air bombs: houses reduced to piles of rubble, tractors totally destroyed. For 37 days the village was heavily bombed. It was impossible for most people to escape as the invasion happened so suddenly and without warning. For 37 days, people lived in constant fear, knowing that a rocket or shell could hit their house at any moment. One woman says that her house burned down in just five minutes. Now she lives at her neighbour’s. A lot of people died here during this time.
The people are afraid that the Russians will come back – but they also trust the Ukrainian army and believe in victory.
There is no way of buying food here. Most of the bridges are burned down and the roads are full of mines.
One of the MWB staff who visited the village said, “In the midst of the war, the people here are so grateful that MWB has come to deliver food parcels. Their gratitude is so sincere. The war has made most Ukrainians feel that they are all related to one another, and we can see it in each other’s eyes.”