In my blogpost “Elderly in Exile”, I described the town of Chasiv Yar.  Chasiv Yar is the original hometown of the nursing home at which I am currently volunteering here in Ukraine.  Chasiv Yar is less than 10 miles (15 kilometers) from the town of Bakhmut, where some of the most intense fighting in the entire war has been taking place.  The battle for Bakhmut still rages.  The nursing home evacuated to western Ukraine last year when wild artillery bombardment around Bakhmut began damaging buildings in Chasiv Yar.  However, the founder of the nursing home, Eugene Tkachev, stayed in Chasiv Yar. 

In addition to the nursing home project, Mr. Tkachev is also currently very busy providing humanitarian aid to local civilians.  Throughout the winter he drove into Bakhmut every day, carrying potable water and other supplies to local residents.  Only recently, as the Russian army’s pincer attack on Bakhmut became tighter and tighter, he was no longer able to enter Bakhmut.  Now, however, his hometown of Chasiv Yar is directly in the sights of Russian artillery.  If Ukrainian forces are driven out of Bakhmut, they may take up new defensive positions right in Chasiv Yar, effectively placing Eugene’s home town right at the center of the new front line. There are currently only about 2,000 civilians hanging on in Chasiv Yar. The rest of the town’s original 12,000 inhabitants have evacuated to safer locations. Mr. Tkachev doesn’t want to evacuate. He is still supplying water to the local residents, so even if the front line moves back to Chasiv Yar, he says will be the last of the local people to leave. “So much of my life is here, so much gray hair, but also so much joy . . . “  (see recent interview below and English transcript of interview here)

Let us hope that Ukrainian defenders succeed in repelling the Russian assault and Eugene is able to remain in Chasiv Yar. Yet, even if that dream comes true, an incredible amount of rebuilding work will need to be completed before the ruined towns of Chasiv Yar and Bakhmut are again fit for habitation.  Readers who are interested in participating in the work to rebuild Chasiv Yar and Bakhmut are welcome to reach out through the RAYA Community page.