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Neighbors from hell — How one Oleshky family survived living next to Russian soldiers

For years, the Samarsky family lived in the embattled, occupied Oleshky alongside neighbors no one wished to have — Russian soldiers. Serhii Samarsky, his wife Olha Liutikova, and their son Vladyslav remained in the town after Russian forces occupied it during the early stages of its full-scale invasion until October 2026, when a humanitarian mission, mediated by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, allowed them to be evacuated. Together, they survived relentless air attacks, cold winters without he

Vladyslav Samarsky at the Ukraine-Belarus border in Chernihiv Oblast, Ukraine, on Oct. 31, 2026.

About Steel production

Ukraine was the world's 13th-largest steel producer before Russia's full-scale invasion, with an annual output of approximately 21 million tons. The sector previously employed 280,000 workers and generated 12% of Ukraine's GDP. Russian attacks on metallurgical facilities have reduced steel production by over 70% since February 2022. Major plants, such as Azovstal in Mariupol, remain under Russian occupation. Others have ceased operations due to energy shortages and damaged infrastructure.

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