Thread by @Den_2042

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Day-to-day life in Izyum during 6 months of Russian occupation.

Source: @TarasBerezovets. Based on the conversations with locals hours after liberation.

50 families have sent their kids to summer school camps in Russia (Russians were pressing for many more, but people were reluctant). Now, after the town was recaptured by Ukraine, children’s whereabouts are unknown. It is impossible to contact them.

Russians were paying money (approx USD 160) per month if people agreed to send their children to schools.

Russians brought the teachers from Russia and then left them behind. Now those teachers are in custody of Ukrainian authorities

Russians were encouraging collaboration by all possible means. Once you call yourself Russian your life becomes more bearable.

Many collaborators - who were living till this point in Izyum - have left with Russians.

Russians could just stop a random man on the street and shoot him. Any local man could be shot dead for no reason whatsoever.

So knowing this, Ukrainian women did not allow their husbands to go outside. Some men have spent months indoors: basically all the time Russians were there.

A photo with a Ukrainian soldier was a legitimate reason to be killed. After being tortured.

It was not uncommon when an unfriendly neighbor concocted a made-up report to the police. And that was it. The person disappeared and never returned.

Russians had special premises for tortures.

After Ukrainian Army started to advance, Russians announced a 2-days curfew. And when people went out after 48 hours, they discovered that Russians were gone.

The last thing Russians did before leaving, they looted everything: shops, offices, banks, pharmacies - they just blown up the doors and took every thing of any value.