UKRAINE-CRISIS/DONETSK Residents of rebel-held Donetsk lose hope for peace, live in fear

Record ID: 146731

  • Title: UKRAINE-CRISIS/DONETSK Residents of rebel-held Donetsk lose hope for peace, live in fear
  • Date: 18th July 2015
  • Summary: DONETSK, UKRAINE (JULY 18, 2015) (REUTERS) GROUP OF LOCAL RESIDENTS HEAD OF DONETSK KYIVSKY DISTRICT, VALENTIN LEVCHENKO, TALKING TO LOCAL RESIDENTS VARIOUS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS SHOUTING ELDERLY WOMEN SITTING, LISTENING BICYCLES PARKED NEXT TO GARAGES (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) DONETSK RESIDENT, GALINA KRYUKOVA, SAYING: "I was born in this house how can I leave everything now and
  • Embargoed: 2nd August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Ukraine
  • Country: Ukraine
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA4OUXZV7WU91O9PLG2ZVWIQG7Z
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Fresh shelling continues over some areas of rebel stronghold Donetsk in Ukraine's east despite ceasefire. Local residents say the shelling has recently intensified. And that the humanitarian situation becomes worse.
    A group or residents gathered on Saturday (July 18) for a meeting with a local official, as people say they are not getting any support from rebel authorities.
    Although shelling can be heard daily in Kyivsky district of Donetsk, some local residents say they can not leave as they have no other place to go.
    "I was born in this house how can I leave everything now and go away? First of all, the house was burnt down, everything was burnt dow. And my children are coming. Their (vacation) end on August 1. And their child is 10 months old. Where should they bring him to?" local resident Galina Kryukova said.
    The head of local administration Valentin Levchenko said people could leave as the authorities provide accommodation for those ready to move.
    "Those people who live here permanently were suggested to move. You should understand that mostly people want to stay here to protect their houses from looters," Levchenko said as heavy shelling was heard at background.
    Many houses in Kyivsky district which is not far from Donetsk city airport had been damaged or destroyed through over a year of conflict between pro-Russian separatist and Ukrainian army.
    Those who still live in Donetsk and around say they don't believe the conflict will be over soon and that they get almost no support from anyone.
    "They promise us a lot. But not much is done. People do not get any humanitarian aid here apart from bread. Only people over 60 years old get some from Rinat (Akhmetov). We are left without jobs and we are not given anything at all," Marina Torzhitsienko said mentioning Rinat Akhmetov - Ukraine's richest men who set up a foundation to support residents caught in the middle of conflict.
    "We live here. During the war (WW2) the German were here. But they came through one strip. And that was it. And they are just booming there and back. What kind of war is that? They are just killing people. They have destroyed the whole area. (SHOWING HOLE IN GATE) They have even damaged this although it is metal," said 92-year-old Galina comparing what she saw as a teenager during World War Two to what happens today.
    People in Kyivsky district prefer not to spend much time outdoors. Many have no choice but to look for apples and berries in the gardens of abandoned houses.
    Alexei Kocherga and his wife came to the garden of their neighbour who was killed in shelling couple of months ago. They both said it would get much harder for the locals residents when autumn comes. And that local children will have no schools or kindergartens to go to.
    Alexei said he did not understand what was going on.
    "This is not a war. One side shoots and than another side shoots. Than it is all quite. We are making jokes that they are reloading (their guns) or have a dinner. They will have a smoke and start over, we say. One side shoots and than another one shoots back. Who know what kind of war it is. No one pulls back or attacks. But what kind of generalissimo I am to know how it can be."
    Fighting between pro-Russian separatists and Ukraine's army has eased in the past few months but the conflict is far from over and some analysts expect years of low-level fighting.
    More than 6,500 people have been killed since the conflict broke out in eastern Ukraine in April last year. Attacks have lessened since a peace agreement was brokered in Minsk, Belarus, five months ago, but both sides accuse each other of violations.
    Ukraine and Western governments accuse Russia of aiding the rebels militarily in the conflict in the east and it has left Moscow's relations with the West at their lowest ebb since the Cold War.
    Russia denies arming the rebels and blames the crisis on Kiev and the West.
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