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‘Just 15 minutes after the strike, people gathered once again’ See life in Bilytske, a frontline Ukrainian city where many refuse to leave despite relentless shelling

Source: Meduza

Bilytske, a city in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, lies less than 12 miles from Pokrovsk, where Russian forces are advancing. Before Russia’s full-scale invasion, it was home to nearly 9,000 people. The city faces constant shelling, and local authorities continue to urge residents to evacuate to safer areas. Many buildings have been destroyed, yet a number of residents remain. Meduza shares photos of daily life in the embattled city.

A resident of Bilytske walks past the House of Culture. On February 16, it was hit by a Russian guided aerial bomb. Journalists from Ukraine’s Channel 5 <a href="https://www.5.ua/ru/rehyoni/muzhchynu-razorvalo-holovu-mi-ne-nashly-vrah-udaryl-uabom-po-belytskomu-v-donetskoi-oblasty-voenkor-5-kanala-344921.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">witnessed</a> the strike, which killed two people right in front of them. “Just 15 minutes after the strike, despite warnings of a possible second attack, people once again gathered in the square — filling water containers and walking with their children. It was a truly awful sight,” said Channel 5 journalist Olha Kalynovska. March 3, 2025.
A resident of Bilytske walks past the House of Culture. On February 16, it was hit by a Russian guided aerial bomb. Journalists from Ukraine’s Channel 5 witnessed the strike, which killed two people right in front of them. “Just 15 minutes after the strike, despite warnings of a possible second attack, people once again gathered in the square — filling water containers and walking with their children. It was a truly awful sight,” said Channel 5 journalist Olha Kalynovska. March 3, 2025.
Tetiana Dzhafarova / AFP / Scanpix / LETA
People collect drinking water in Bilytske’s central square. March 3, 2025.
Tetiana Dzhafarova / AFP / Scanpix / LETA
A man carries cardboard and a bucket of coal to start a fire. Bilytske, Ukraine. March 3, 2025.
Tetiana Dzhafarova / AFP / Scanpix / LETA
Worshippers attend a morning service at a church in Bilytske. March 3, 2025.
Tetiana Dzhafarova / AFP / Scanpix / LETA
A Bilytske resident stands inside a school destroyed by shelling. March 3, 2025.
Tetiana Dzhafarova / AFP / Scanpix / LETA

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A woman carrying a bag of chicken tries to navigate past stray dogs near the ruins of a school. March 13, 2025.
Tetiana Dzhafarova / AFP / Scanpix / LETA
A group of teenagers on a street in Bilytske. March 13, 2025.
Tetiana Dzhafarova / AFP / Scanpix / LETA
Bilytske, Ukraine. March 13, 2025.
Tetiana Dzhafarova / AFP / Scanpix / LETA
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