Images from Ukraine: The deep scars of war remain visibly etched across the landscape of Borodyanka

Reports from Ukraine: This feature is part of an original Milwaukee Independent editorial series that recorded news from cities across Ukraine, including Milwaukee's sister city of Irpin, in May 2022. It was the first and, at that time, only news organization in Wisconsin that traveled to the country since it was invaded. The purpose of this journalism project was to document personal stories and events that detailed or showed the conditions of the war at that time, and their connections to Milwaukee. mkeind.com/reportsfromukraine

What happened in Borodyanka is considered one of the biggest tragedies in Ukraine, and was one of the places in Kyiv Oblast most impacted by Russian aggression. The city had no Ukrainian military fortifications of strategic importance, and troops simply acted out of cruelty against the unarmed civilian population.

With more than 90% of the downtown area destroyed, the city is slowly recovering after two months since its occupation by Russian forces. The damage in Borodyanka remains shocking, with scorched and shattered residential buildings standing as a testament to the invader’s brutality.

Putin’s flawed intelligence led Russian forces to believe they could use Ukraine’s highways to roll past Chernobyl and seize the capital of Kyiv within mere days. They expected to be welcomed as liberators, greeted by joyful residents with open arms. Instead, they were met with fierce defiance.

The resistance in Borodyanka surprised the Russians and forced them to change tactics. It was a preview of the war crimes that would play out in cities occupied by Russian forces. As Putin’s offensive became stuck, Ukrainian Territorial Defense forces launched guerrilla attacks on the enemy supply lines. Ukrainian forces blew up bridges which also prevented Russian advancement.

A similar strategy was deployed in Bucha and Irpin, but Borodyanka faced relentless attacks night after night. The Russians retreated on April 2, but not before they left explosive mines around the city, in places like public parks where children played.

When the Milwaukee Independent team visited Borodyanka, the scale of the damage remained overwhelming.

All along the city’s main street, government buildings were destroyed. Businesses were also graffitied by Russian troops with the Latin alphabet letter “V.” The symbol “Z” had come to represent the Russian version of Nazi German’s Swastika.

It terms of Russia’s usage, it represents the abbreviation of the romanized phrase “for victory,” while the “V” supposedly stood for “strength in truth.” Some Russian forces have also painted “Z” and “V” and “O” on their vehicles to distinguish their forces from Ukrainian troops.

An unidentified Ukrainian soldier guarding a checkpoint told our team that the most destroyed area in Borodyanka was Lenina street. When Russian tanks entered the city, they quickly focused their firepower on that corridor.

Across the street where we stood was a restaurant called “U Sasha,” which became the enemy’s headquarters.

“We were in the fields for more than two weeks. The conditions were very difficult. I did not take off my ankle boots for more than 2 weeks,” said the Ukrainian soldier. “Some of our troops were hiding in the city. They identified enemy positions and provided us with important information to guide our artillery. We destroyed a lot of enemy tanks. The road was littered with destroyed Russian vehicles.”

Because the Russians were frustrated and could not understand how the Ukrainian forces were targeting them, they began to systematically demolish high-rise buildings along the entire street.

“If they suspected that there might be a gunner in a high-rise building, they didn’t even try to find or catch him. They just dropped a five hundred kilogram bomb on the house and leveled it to the ground,” added the Ukrainian soldier.

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