Life in the ruins

Life in the ruins

Advertisement

The battle for Debaltseve caught civilians in the crossfire on a scale not yet seen in the war that has killed nearly 6,000 people. Most residential buildings in the town have been damaged by shelling or are burnt out.

Ukrainian military leaders and separatist commanders alike insist they never target residential areas. But rank-and-file fighters from both sides admit they used heavy weapons while fighting over the towns and could have missed targets.

. VUHLEHIRSK, Ukraine. REUTERS/Baz Ratner

Moscow-backed separatists stormed the eastern Ukrainian town of Debaltseve nearly two weeks ago, in one of the most dramatic advances by the rebels since the start of the 10-month-old war.

In neighbouring Vuhlehirsk, conquered by the rebels before Debaltseve there is heavy damage to almost every building in the town.

1 / 17

Slideshow

. VUHLEHIRSK, Ukraine. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
. DEBALTSEVE, Ukraine. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
. VUHLEHIRSK, Ukraine. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
. VUHLEHIRSK, Ukraine. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
. VUHLEHIRSK, Ukraine. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
. DEBALTSEVE, Ukraine. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
. DEBALTSEVE, Ukraine. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
. DEBALTSEVE, Ukraine. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
. DEBALTSEVE, Ukraine. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
. DEBALTSEVE, Ukraine. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
. DEBALTSEVE, Ukraine. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
. VUHLEHIRSK, Ukraine. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
. DEBALTSEVE, Ukraine. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
. VUHLEHIRSK, Ukraine. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
. VUHLEHIRSK, Ukraine. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
. DEBALTSEVE, Ukraine. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
. VUHLEHIRSK, Ukraine. REUTERS/Baz Ratner