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On their way to Kyiv in March 2022, Russian forces ravaged entire cities and villages, destroying buildings, as well as killing, raping, and torturing their residents. The town of Borodianka, located about 40 kilometers from Kyiv, suffered greatly from Russian airstrikes. One year later, Borodianka remains full of damaged buildings, while some which were beyond repair were demolished. Many of its residents continue to live there either because they have nowhere else to go or because they feel emotionally attached to their hometown.

Olena Makarenko
Video reporter
Olena Makarenko is a Kyiv-based journalist and documentary filmmaker. Since November 2015, Olena has been covering the events in Ukraine for foreign audiences. She has authored two short documentaries: “The Court” (2018) about establishing the Anti-Corruption Court in Ukraine and “Life-Long City” about an activist in Kryvyi Rih.