I was in Izyum this week. All I can say is that people are happy Ukraine liberated them, but the devastation is beyond heartbreaking. I’ll be publishing my reporting next week on Black Diplomats podcast. 
Traveling around the Kharkiv region, you’ll see charred remains of Russian military vehicles and the V and Z symbols on checkpoints that. Infrastructure in many parts is destroyed. Driving through Kharkiv at night is pitch black darkness.
This building was bomb during the fight leading up to Russian occupation. There were casualties. I spoke with someone who lost a childhood friend in this attack.
I was at one of the mass graves where bodies of those killed by Russians were buried. The graves are behind an actual cemetery. It’s just pure horror.
No electricity, so people create ways to cook outside. The simplest of tasks require planning.
I interviewed a local journalist, Olga, who lived under Russia occupation the whole time in Izyum. This was her first time visiting one of the mass grave sites. I’ll share her story on next week’s episode of Black Diplomats.
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