We use cookies on this website. By continuing to use this site without changing your cookie settings, you agree that you are happy to accept our privacy policy and for us to access our cookies on your device.
Transcript/ScriptUKRAINE RUSSIAN ATTACKS
HEADLINE: Pushing Ahead With Invasion, Russia Keeps Up Artillery Attacks
TEASER: Moscow’s push toward Odesa is on, with few remaining residents of southeastern Ukrainian communities enduring relentless artillery attacks
PUBLISHED AT: 5/11/2022 at 7:36 pm
BYLINE: YAN BOECHAT
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine
VIDEOGRAPHER: Yan Boechat
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: LR, MAS
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA ORIGINAL
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT:
VID APPROVED BY: mia
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO)) [[Russian forces have been launching continuous artillery attacks on targets in southeastern Ukraine, continuing their push toward Odessa and other parts of the region. For VOA, Yan Boechat reports from the Zaporizhzhia oblast in southern Ukraine.]]
((VIDEO: RUSSIAN WARPLANES FIRING FLARES))
((NARRATOR))
Russian fighter jets fly low over here, he fires flares to deceive anti-aircraft defenses before attacking Ukrainian positions.
((VIDEO: BOMB CRATER, VILLAGE BUILDINGS, RUBBLE, ORANGE CAR PASSES))
On the ground, the result is destruction.
There is hardly anyone left in this small village in Donbas, eastern Ukraine.
They look like ghost towns now.
((VIDEO: SOLDIER IN TRENCH, SANDBAGS; VILLAGE SCENE, FLOWERS; DESTROYED BUILDING.))
Only the soldiers are here, hiding.
Everything seems calm when the bombs aren’t falling.
Everything looks peaceful. But it is just appearance.
((VIDEO: ELDERLY WOMAN WALKING; MAN WALKS TOWARD REPORTER; WALKS BACK TOWARD HOUSE; PAN FROM RUBBLE UP TO DAMAGED BUILDING))
It is in places like this that the Ukrainian war is being fought.
Ihor lives in Kamianske, the last Ukraine-dominated position south of Zaporizhzhia, in southern Ukraine. Whilst in Ukrainian hands, this small town went under Russian control.
((VIDEO: SOLDIER WALKS IN TRENCH))
And a month ago, returned it to Ukrainian soldiers.
((VIDEO: SHOT OF MAN IN GRAY SWEATHER))
Ihor says he has nowhere to go: No friends, no family. He says he prefers to stay here.
((Ihor, Resident – MALE IN UKRAINIAN )) ((- 05:58 to 06:24))
“Health conditions no longer allow us to run to the bomb shelter all the time, you know. Those who have left, some of them have heart problems, my wife, for instance, has problems with her legs. Those who bring us food, spread it around. And here we are, just two of us left on this street.”
((VIDEO: SHOT OF WOMAN IN RED COAT; DOGS BARK ON STAIRS; DOG LEAPS FROM CHAIR))
He lives with his wife, Iryna, and their dogs who are easily frightened by the constant explosions.
((VIDEO: SETUP SHOT OF WOMAN IN RED COAT))
Iryna says they have been living in this shelter for almost three months.
((Iryna, Resident – FEMALE IN UKRAINIAN )) (((07:27 to 07:55))”
“How do we live here? During the shelling, we come down. That's how we live. The third month of the war is already under way, and the third month of shelling. We go out, of course, as long as there is no shelling. But we are sleeping in the basement because at night it is not clear when they will start to fire. And to run down here from home is always a risk for our lives.”
((VIDEO: REAR VIEW OF SOLDIER IN TRENCH))
The soldiers hide in trenches not far from here. An eternal wait.
((VIDEO: EXCAVATOR DIGS TRENCH AS SOLDIERS STAND BY))
Machines dig up the land that should be producing wheat.
((VIDEO: SOLDIER IN TRENCH, WITH BINOCULARS))
When not being bombed, soldiers are watching for possible enemy movement.
((VIDEO: SOLDIER IN TRENCH, ONIONS ON MOUND OF EARTH))
Here in the Donbas region, they enjoy the spring sun and play at being farmers by planting onions in the trenches.
((VIDEO: SOLDIER WALKS IN TRENCH; SOLDIER SERVES MEAL; SOLDIERS AT CAMPSITE; SOLDIER STANDS NEXT TO GRAVESITE))
In this artillery war, trenches are the homes of the soldiers. Here they eat, here they sleep and here they often also die.
((VIDEO: SOLDIER SPEAKING NEXT TO GRAVE))
This soldier says that a comrade is buried here or what is left of him.
((VIDEO: SOLDIER WALKS ALONG PILE OF DISTURBED EARTH))
A Russian missile hit him directly.
((VIDEO: ROADWAY, FIELD OF BLOSSOMING TREES, GREEN GRASS AND YELLOW FLOWERS))
Spring has brought back the colors to this region of Ukraine. Green and yellow are everywhere.
((VIDEO: SOLDIERS WALK ALONG PEACEFUL ROAD; GREEN FIELDS.))
When the artillery is not very active, walking along a road like this might even seem like something peaceful.
((VIDEO: CRATER IN ROAD; UNEXPLODED SHELL; BURNT CAR; PAN OF DAMAGED BUILDINGS; SOLDIER WATCHES OVER GREEN FIELD W- BUNKER IN FOREGROUND; RED DANGER SIGN WITH SKULL.))
But soon, the holes in the ground, the unexploded missiles, and the destroyed cars remind us that war is being fought right here.
((YAN BOECHAT, FOR VOA NEWS, ZAPORIZHZHIA, UKRAINE))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine
Embargo DateMay 11, 2022 20:03 EDT
Byline((YAN BOECHAT, FOR VOA NEWS, ZAPORIZHZHIA, UKRAINE))
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
