More than 30 people in the community died as a result of enemy shelling.
The community of Vysokopolya in the north of the Kherson region was under occupation for 7 months. The invaders left destroyed houses and dozens of killed and kidnapped people.
Anna Shostak-Kuchmyak, chairman of the Vysokopolska UTC, spoke about the situation in the liberated community on the air of the telethon.
According to Shostak-Kuchmyak, the invaders entered the territory of the community in March. The occupation lasted more than half a year until the community’s settlements were liberated during a counteroffensive a few weeks ago.
During this time, dozens of people became victims of enemy shelling.
“On March 12, Vysokopolye was fired from” Gradov “, on March 13 we already saw the checkpoints of the invaders. From the first days of the invaders’ stay on our territory, people began to disappear, we still do not know the fate of many, we do not see either the living or the dead. We find the remains people, examinations are being carried out. More than 30 people of our population were injured incompatible with life. They died from various types of weapons – mines, shells, fragments. A lot of the population lost property. The invaders robbed,” she says.
According to the official, as in all other territories occupied by Russians in Vysokopolye, Russians torture people. The occupiers dumped the bodies of the tortured into the basement of the house of one of the local residents. Its owner, a witness to the crimes of the Russians, was eventually killed as well.
“This man, while he was alive, he told me that they buried a couple of people in his garden, and others were taken to a factory on the territory of the community. Now [law enforcement officers] are looking there. A lot of time has passed, the territory has overgrown. Also, the territory is heavily mined” she says.
During the first weeks of the occupation, the head of the community went to work in Vysokopolye from the village where she lives, on a bicycle – despite the enemy tanks.
“I rode along the steppe road. Past infantry fighting vehicles, orc tanks. We rode, mocked, laughed … For them it was funny that the head of the community was on a bicycle. people. What could be done in those conditions, they did,” she recalls.
During these months, the occupiers deprived the inhabitants of the community of access to social benefits, medicines. All this is now returning. The work of the post office and the provision of medical services have already been resumed, they are working on the opening of Oschadbank.
Many people lost their homes as a result of enemy shelling, others lived without electricity and gas. The head of the community says that the authorities are trying to help people with the restoration of their homes, where possible, but the scale of destruction as a result of enemy shelling is very high.
In addition, Shostak-Kuchmyak also said that the residents of the community primarily used natural gas to heat their homes, but so far there is no certainty that the gas supply will be restored. Therefore, potbelly stoves are installed in the villages, they cook with firewood.
“The occupiers do not leave anything alive behind. This happened to our community. The entire community (22 villages – UNIAN) was liberated. … We were happy about this, but what are we left with? The community is almost destroyed, the residential sector, public utilities, state institutions. Who was until the last day of the occupation… These people were without electricity, without gas, without food, without medicines. We still cannot restore power supply. Active work is underway, but this network is so destroyed that it takes a lot of time, human resources, materials… 750 building kits were issued, but this is not enough, because the destruction is so great… But it will not save.
(C)UNIAN 2022