As Russia again draws near, a front-line city fears obliteration this time
After a five-month occupation in 2022, Russian troops left behind a mass grave and ruined buildings in the eastern Ukrainian city of Izium.
IZIUM, UKRAINE – An unknown woman's name and image have been etched onto signs pinned to rough wooden crosses, each reading "Unknown woman." These somber reminders of the enduring horrors of Russia's four-year occupation in Izium stand as a stark testament to the city's past. As Moscow's forces again draw near, raining glide bombs and drones upon Izium, residents now fear that a renewed battle for the city would be far worse than the previous ordeal.
Following the five-month occupation in 2022, Russian troops left a mass grave and a trail of destroyed buildings, scars that remain deeply etched in the city's psyche. All 447 bodies from that grave were exhumed and reburied on a hilltop, their identities shrouded in mystery. Now, as tensions rise once more, the people of Izium live in constant fear of obliteration, their lives hanging by a thread.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
