Izyum residents face renewed threat as Russian forces advance

In the Ukrainian garrison city of Izyum, residents are struggling to maintain a sense of normalcy as Russian forces advance within 30 kilometers of the city. The city, a gateway to the Donbas region, was occupied by Russia at the start of the 2022 invasion and was liberated by Ukrainian forces six months later.

Violetta Dezhyna, a 21-year-old municipal employee, works to document signs of life and beauty for the city’s social media pages, often attempting to find photographic angles that mask the surrounding destruction of gutted apartment blocks and military wreckage. Despite the scars of war, many of the city’s 45,000 residents returned following the 2022 counter-offensive to assist in rebuilding.

However, the proximity of the front lines has brought renewed tension. Anti-drone nets are increasingly being installed over roads, and many young residents are once again leaving the area as the threat of combat grows.