Kam'yanka is a small, rural village in Kharkiv oblast. Before the full-scale invasion, it had a population of 1,200. The Russians occupied the area from March 2022 until September 2022. Now only 85 people remain in the village.
The Russians left much destruction. Almost every structure has been bombed, if not destroyed completely. Houses and vehicles display the 'Z' symbol, marked by the Russians. The entire village is mined. De-mining teams have been working through the area, but the work is slow and they have paused for the winter months.
When the Russians departed, they left piles of large items they had collected. Within these piles mines were placed. These items were random; presumably items that they had looted from homes, or perhaps they had arranged for defense. One such pile I came upon consisted of furniture, baby strollers, and household appliances. De-mining teams have placed string and warning signs around the piles.
As I walked around the bombed school, I met several locals. They were working to move scrap metal into a small rudimentary trailer, pulled by an ancient car. They stated that they used to work at that very school. Now they are collecting scrap metal to sell to sustain themselves. They told me to be careful, as others had previously stepped on mines in the very same area.
Inside the school, the first floor remains intact, although heavily damaged. Every room is in disarray; books and school supplies strewn about. In the basement, filthy mattresses and broken bedframes crowd the area. Numerous empty bottles of vodka remain on the floor. In a small side room, several toilet buckets sit among piles of garbage.
Across from the village school is the House of Culture. Once a thriving art theatre, it is merely a shell of rubble now. Ammunition boxes filled with dirt surround the remainder of the structure. Inside what was once the auditorium, costumes, seasonal decorations, and Russian ration boxes lie scattered among the seats. The ceiling is absent. Three walls have been blown out. On the opposite side of the building, the four walls and interior of a gym remain intact. However, it is only accessible by navigating through large craters and pits of trash, which may contain mines.
Walking around this village is a heartbreaking reminder of how Russia's destruction has affected rural Ukrainians. Many lost their livelihood here. Currently there are no signs of organized demolition or rebuilding here. A few civilians have returned and work to repair their damaged homes. However, several projects appear to be abandoned. The large sign upon entry to the village pleads in English, "Please! Help rebuild the village!"
