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((PLAYBOOK SLUG: Ukraine Chernihiv
HEADLINE: Chernihiv Residents Ache for Relief After Monthlong Siege
TEASER: With hundreds killed and the economy crushed, residents say they will never feel safe again.
PUBLISHED AT: 04/08/2022
BYLINE: Heather Murdock
DATELINE: Chernihiv, Ukraine
VIDEOGRAPHER: Heather Murdock
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: MAS, MPage
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, RFE/RL
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __
TRT:
VID APPROVED BY:
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES:
((INTRO:))
[After a monthlong Russian siege, Ukraine has recaptured the northern city of Chernihiv. But after a rocket attack in the east killed dozens of people Friday, residents are wary, saying they are expecting they could be attacked again. VOA’s Heather Murdock has more from Chernihiv, Ukraine.]
((VOA VIDEO: FOOD QUEUE, CHERNIHIV DISTRUCTION))
((NARRATOR:))
This is a queue for food, diapers, drinking water and other basic needs in Chernihiv, a Ukrainian city held under siege for a month by Russian forces. Residents say during that time there was shelling, gunfire and other explosions every day.
Half the population of the city fled, and hundreds of people died, including many local young men who had volunteered to fight.
((Natalia Dudenok, Chernihiv Resident)) ((Female, in Russian))
“My son’s stomach was ripped apart by a machine gun and there were other injuries, but he kept on fighting.”
((VOA VIDEO: HOSPITAL))
((NARRATOR:))
At this hospital, the director says one-third of his staff fled or is missing. He says it will be a long time before all of the bodies are counted.
((Andriy Zhydenko, Chernihiv Regional Clinical Hospital)) ((male Ukrainian))
“We have a lot of destroyed residential areas and the rubble has not been cleared. Also there are many ruined homes in the nearby villages and I think we will find many bodies underneath them. People were living in their basements.”
((VOA VIDEO: RECAPTURED TOWNS, KYIV))
((NARRATOR:))
Several towns and villages in the Kyiv region were also recaptured by Ukrainian forces in the past week, with Russia saying it planned to focus its efforts on the east after failing to capture the capital city of Kyiv.
Russian forces have been accused of executing civilians, rapes and looting, and the Ukrainian government is calling for an investigation into alleged war crimes.
Russia has denied targeting civilians and has previously rejected all allegations of atrocities.
Humanitarian workers in Chernihiv say many of the survivors have been left destitute.
((Evgen Korzh, Volunteer Organizer)) ((Male, in Ukranian))
“The day before yesterday a woman came in and said she had a big farm: more than 100 fowl, four pigs, and three cows. Russian troops came in and killed them all and she was left with nothing. She was crying.”
((VOA VIDEO: RUINS))
((NARRATOR:))
Besides poverty, injuries and so many deaths, doctors say the siege has left the population traumatized, perhaps permanently.
((Dr. Andriy Linnyk, Chernihiv Health Department)) ((Male, in Ukrainian))
“In my opinion people here will never feel safe like they did before because we will always be expecting something will happen again. This war has definitely changed us.”
((RFE/RL VIDEO: KRAMATORSK ATTACK))
((NARRATOR:))
In the eastern city of Kramatorsk on Friday, a rocked hit a train station, killing dozens of people.
((VOA VIDEO: CHERNIHIV))
((NARRATOR:))
Locals in Chernihiv say the escalation in violence is chilling, and they are expecting that they may be attacked again.
((HEATHER MURDOCK VOA NEWS, CHIRNIHIV, UKRAINE.))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateApril 8, 2022 18:19 EDT
BylineHeather Murdock
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
