Russia Invades Ukraine
Drones And Desolation: The Long Road To Donetsk's Bilozerske
RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service correspondent Maryan Kushnir walked some 20 kilometers to reach the embattled city of Bilozerske, in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, which soldiers say has been effectively destroyed by Russian strikes over the past year.
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We walked some 20 kilometers to the Donetsk city of Bilozerske, guided by Fara, a soldier from the Rubizh Brigade of Ukraine's National Guard. Walking is often favored over driving near the front lines due to the danger of drones, which are harder to detect and evade in a vehicle.
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On the hours-long journey to the front, Fara directs us into buildings whenever the telltale buzz of a drone is heard.
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Stray animals near the front also now understand that open spaces can be dangerous and can often be seen sheltering inside buildings.
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"The enemy is very active," Fara says. "We kept them out in the fields all summer. Now, ahead of winter, they're starting to push closer to the towns so they can spend the winter inside buildings."
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As Fara speaks, a Russian drone can be heard nearby. "It's most likely the enemy's," the soldier tells us. "It's looking for some kind of target. Maybe locals, maybe ‘tourists’ like us."
The drone attacked an unmanned vehicle on the road nearby that was carrying supplies to Ukrainian positions.
The drone attacked an unmanned vehicle on the road nearby that was carrying supplies to Ukrainian positions.
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Soldiers from the Rubizh Brigade were able to unhook the burning trailer, towed by the unmanned vehicle, and the ground drone continued on its journey.
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Before Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Bilozerske had a population of around 15,000. The town's economy was based mainly on coal mining.
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A drone-hit building burns in Bilozerske.
"The city is starting to become a kind of ghost town," Fara says. "There are fewer and fewer locals and more and more strikes -- air strikes as well as fiber-optic first-person view and radio-controlled drones."
"The city is starting to become a kind of ghost town," Fara says. "There are fewer and fewer locals and more and more strikes -- air strikes as well as fiber-optic first-person view and radio-controlled drones."
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Graffiti on a wall in Bilozerske proclaiming “Russia is death and grief."
"Around this time last year, the town was thriving," Fara says. "There were lots of locals. All the shops and cafes were open. So basically, in the space of a year, the Russian military has completely destroyed the town."
"Around this time last year, the town was thriving," Fara says. "There were lots of locals. All the shops and cafes were open. So basically, in the space of a year, the Russian military has completely destroyed the town."
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A child's soft toy seen in Bilozerske.
Fara says the city was targeted first with Shahed drones, then heavy aerial bombs. Now unjammable fiber-optic drones are stalking the streets here. "And they're destroying anything that moves in the town, without distinguishing between local residents and soldiers,” the soldier says.
Fara says the city was targeted first with Shahed drones, then heavy aerial bombs. Now unjammable fiber-optic drones are stalking the streets here. "And they're destroying anything that moves in the town, without distinguishing between local residents and soldiers,” the soldier says.
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We did not encounter any local residents in Bilozerske.
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Above the city, heavy lift drones such as this hexacopter can be seen delivering supplies to frontline positions.
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Inside a building used by the military, we encountered a group of infantrymen who had just been rotated out of combat positions in Bilytske, just south of Bilozerske. The group included Lyova (pictured), who was smoking a cigarette after a days-long journey.
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"I was at a position in Bilytske for almost three months," Lyova recalled, "We were coming out when there was an explosion and I was wounded. They put a tourniquet on me and we kept going."
Lyova says the threat of drones means rotating in and out of positions is now the most difficult aspect of combat duty.
Lyova says the threat of drones means rotating in and out of positions is now the most difficult aspect of combat duty.
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We walked to an evacuation point outside Bilozerske where an armored vehicle was expected to arrive and collect the wounded.
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We joined the soldiers being driven to a safer area in the armored vehicle. It was a bumpy and painful trip for the wounded fighters.
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On the road behind us, wisps of smoke can be seen from a recent strike.
Ukrainian forces are currently defending the Donetsk city of Dobropillia, from where Russia is seeking to advance toward Bilozerske with the ultimate aim of capturing the entire Donetsk region.
Ukrainian forces are currently defending the Donetsk city of Dobropillia, from where Russia is seeking to advance toward Bilozerske with the ultimate aim of capturing the entire Donetsk region.
