Robbing the local population, plundering the school, detention and torture. The commander sentenced. Briefly on how the Pakul village  residents survived 10 days of Russian occupation.

Who occupied Pakul?

Pakul is an ancient picturesque village in Chernihiv region, located only 10 km away from the Belarus border. Russian troops managed to occupy it nearly a month after the start of the full-scale invasion. The occupation lasted 10 days.

Armen Abgharian (in the middle). Photo: Chernihiv Time (Chas Chernihivskyi).

On the morning of March 21, 2022, servicepeople of the Russian 7th Composite Rifle Company (74th Separate Motorized Brigade) occupied Pakul. The unit was commanded by Armen Abgharyan, a war criminal . The permanent location of the unit is a town of Yurga, Kemerovo region. It was from there that they came to “liberate”, rob and torture the Ukrainian civilian population. Local residents say that the Russian “SOBR” (special rapid response unit) and other Russian Federation military formations were also stationed in the village.

They robbed and looked for “sauna with girls”

Several checkpoints were immediately set up in the village. Russian soldiers of Asian appearance, probably Tuvans or Buryats, were detailed to the checkpoint in the village center. They asked local residents where to find a “sauna with girls”. This terrified the residents of the Pakul as these soldiers posed a potential threat to the women and girls who remained in the occupation. Fortunately, no cases of rape were recorded.

The Russian soldiers were quartered in empty civilian houses, as well as in the premises of the school, forestry and fire department. After they had left the village, it was found that tools  from the school garage were missing. Cooking utensils and all food supplies  from the dining room were missing as well. New mats were taken from the school gym. Farm equipment, cars and trucks, livestock, poultry, food, household items and even underwear were stolen from local residents.

School premises in the village of Pakul. Photo: Education Human Rights House  — Chernihiv.

Inspections and torture

The Pakul residents were searched, every house was checked, phones and documents were inspected at roadblocks. On March 24, 2022, a local resident, Oleg Parasiuk, was detained when going through the checkpoint (he went to feed the dogs). First, russian soldiers interrogated him, then they took him to their headquarters located within the forestry facilities. Oleg was kept in the basement together with another man – Serhii Yakovenko from the village of Vediltsi.

Both prisoners were required to provide information about the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The men were beaten, but they did not tell anything. The next day, Armen Abgharyan, the unit commander,  went down to the basement. He unbuckled his holster, took out a pistol and shot twice at Oleg Parasyuk and three times at Serhii Yakovenko… Oleg Parasyuk’s arm and leg were wounded. Serhii Yakovenko received a shoulder, cheek, upper and lower lip  injuries, and lost five teeth. The men survived and were able to escape, as the basement door had been left unlocked.

In addition, it is known about at least three more people detained in the premises of the forestry.

Basement in the premises of the forestry in the village of Pakul. Photo: Educational House of Human Rights — Chernihiv.

On March 31, 2022, local residents saw a military convoy moving towards Chernihiv. Russian troops were leaving the village, leaving chaos and explosive ordnance behind them…

Journalists managed to identify Abgharian, so law enforcement agencies initiated criminal proceedings. It is known that Russian military personnel from this motorized brigade have been participating in the war against Ukraine since 2014. On September 14, 2023, the court in Chernihiv handed down a sentence and found a Russian serviceperson, Armen Abgharian, the commander of the 74th separate motorized brigade, guilty of ill-treatment of civilian population as well as of giving orders to violate the laws and customs of war. Abgharian was sentenced to 12 years in prison in absentia.

This publication is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the framework of the Human Rights in Action Program implemented by Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union.

Opinions, conclusions and recommendations presented in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID, the United States Government. The contents are the responsibility of the authors.

USAID is the world’s premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. USAID’s work demonstrates American generosity, and promotes a path to recipient self-reliance and resilience, and advances U.S. national security and economic prosperity. USAID has partnered with Ukraine since 1992, providing more than $9 billion in assistance. USAID’s current strategic priorities include strengthening democracy and good governance, promoting economic development and energy security, improving health care systems, and mitigating the effects of the conflict in the east. For additional information about USAID in Ukraine, please call USAID’s Development Outreach and Communications Office at: +38 (044) 521-5753. You may also visit our website: http://www.usaid.gov/ukraine or our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/USAIDUkraine.

All images in this material were created using artificial intelligence and are purely illustrative.

Dmytro’s story is about how everyone can find their place in the fight against the enemy by actively participating in volunteering and civic activities. Ukraine is experiencing the conditions of full-scale war very painfully. Everyone tries to contribute to the fight and victory. Some take up arms and go to the front lines. Some help as volunteers in the rear. But there is another very important area of work – documenting the war crimes committed by Russian occupiers.

The hero of our story today is Dmytro Vakhnenko. His path of volunteering and civic activism cannot be called typical.

Before the full-scale invasion, he was educating people on financial literacy. He enjoyed this field, life was going on as usual, but everything changed dramatically on February 24, 2022.

The First Months

Almost immediately after the start of the Russian military invasion, Dmytro realized that people and the country needed help – he couldn’t stand aside, so he joined as a volunteer to one of the volunteer headquarters in Zaporizhzhia, where he was involved in unloading humanitarian aid and assisting at the warehouse.

Later, Dmytro became the head of the HR department of the organization “Community of Volunteers United by Idea” – he was responsible for coordinating a team of 50-70 people, searching for volunteers, and engaging them in assistance.

“Previously, I worked for a large enterprise in Zaporizhzhia, more precisely, even at a factory, as a leading specialist in the department of analytics and development of the target production model, and it was there that I developed managerial skills, I coordinated the work of departments, so it wasn’t a big problem for me.”

However, even with this experience, the work was very intense at that time because it was necessary to react promptly to changing needs in the conditions of war, – claims Dmytro.

Evidence for future tribunals and volunteering

In October 2022, when Zaporizhzhia was heavily shelled by the occupiers, Dmytro made the decision to temporarily relocate to another city.

“I left the volunteer headquarters around the time I left Zaporizhzhia. After my return, it was no longer operating in the same format as before. So, I began to look for where else I could be useful.”

Despite this, Dmytro understood that he wanted to continue making his contribution to the fight against the enemy in any case – he continued to engage in volunteering. Later, he had the opportunity to join the documentation of war crimes committed by Russians in the public organization “Association of Relatives of Kremlin Political Prisoners” – he took advantage of it.

Currently, his work involves documenting facts of Russian occupiers’ crimes against civilians – killings, torture, and kidnappings.

“The most important thing we do is document the facts of war crimes. If we don’t do this, in the future, we won’t be able to prove that the crimes actually occurred. This is the evidential base for Ukraine, for national and international courts, including the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.”

Interviewing a shelling witness

Also significant here is the informational aspect because the world needs to know the truth about what the Russians are doing in Ukraine, Dmytro claims.

His work consists of two main directions: searching for information in open sources and interviewing witnesses and victims of war crimes.

Dmytro and his organization pass the collected facts and testimonies to analysts, law enforcement, and judicial authorities. Thus, an important evidential base is created for future tribunals against Russian war criminals.

Dmytro admits that he never thought he would be involved in civil or volunteer activities, but now he actively participates in various initiatives.

“For example, together with the community of civil organizations and local volunteers of Zaporizhzhia, we achieved that thanks to public hearings from the city budget, 100 million UAH were allocated to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”

In addition to this, in 2023, Dmytro donated blood five times, participated in animal volunteering actions, and eco-activism – for his active position, he received thanks for volunteering from the Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration.

Maintaining Emotional Balance

Working on documenting the horrors of war cannot but affect a person’s psychological state, says the documentarian.

Nevertheless, Dmytro believes that personally, this activity had an even more positive impact on him. After all, he got the opportunity to prevent impunity, convey the truth about the war, and also learn a lot about methods of collecting and analyzing information.

“I also continue to engage in volunteer and civic activities, so I constantly have to be resourceful – for this, of course, I try to take care of my condition so that in the future I can bring even more benefit.”

To maintain emotional balance, Dmytro advises finding time for relaxation and self-improvement, participating in trainings and events that help with recovery.

“In October, for example, I took part in an urgent support program and a 7-day psychosocial rehabilitation program from the Educational Human Rights House in Chernihiv – it helped me restore my emotional state to continue working in the future.”

Although Dmytro knew about the Human Rights House before, the program itself was told to him by the head of the organization he currently works for.

The overall atmosphere during the program played a big role: the program was closer to nature – there the pace of life, according to Dmytro, feels more peaceful, which helps to recover.

Dmytro also remembers the variety of new people from different regions of Ukraine, other participants in the support program. They were all part of an active civil society, so the rehabilitation program for Dmytro also became a place where he could find new connections and exchange experiences.

Dmytro in the Educational Human Rights House in Chernihiv together with other participants of the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Program under the ESU project (village Kolichivka)

But the most valuable thing for him was still the sessions with psychologists in individual and group formats.

“I liked the fact that psychologists devoted quite a lot of time to us – we had various psychological practices, I probably can’t name them all now.”

“The program was aimed at deeper understanding of one’s emotional state, restoring inner resources, and hearing oneself – all this together works very effectively.”

Place in the Struggle Dmytro Vakhnenko’s story inspires and makes one think – each of us has our own role and place in resisting the Kremlin’s expansionist policy. He showed an example that it is possible to combine different types of activities – from documenting war crimes to local volunteering.

It is important not to stop, to seek opportunities to contribute to victory, and not to be afraid to take on new directions of work, says Dmytro.

Only through consolidated efforts can we withstand.

The Protection Program operates with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation, Human Rights House Foundation, and the ESU project.

The ESU Project / Resilience Program is implemented by the Human Rights House Foundation in a consortium of civil society organizations led by ERIM, in partnership with the Eastern Europe Foundation, the Human Rights House in Tbilisi, the Belarusian Human Rights House named after Boris Zvozskov, and the Black Sea Regional Cooperation Fund with financial support from the European Union.

Atrocities of Russian troops during the occupation of a village in Chernihiv region: torture and execution of civilians, burning bodies in plain sight, and shelling civilian homes.

The spring of 2022 marked the beginning of tragedy for one village in the Chernihiv region. On that fateful morning, locals were startled by the frantic screams of a mother, echoing for kilometers. Gathering at the village’s central cross, they found the snow-covered bodies of four of their fellow villagers lying in a row. In a state of shock and deep sorrow, relatives used carts and sleds to transport the deceased, burying them in their own yards until better times…

This is the story of crimes committed by Russian soldiers in one of the villages in Chernihiv region. It is told from the testimonies of eyewitnesses, documented by representatives of the Human Rights House – Chernihiv.

Names of the deceased and their relatives have been changed.

Torture and execution of four civilian men

On February 24, 2022, villagers learned of the war’s onset from televisions and calls from loved ones. Later, they heard explosions outside the village. On February 27, Russian military vehicles rumbled through the village streets. The following day, Russian soldiers brutally killed four local men, marking the beginning of the village’s occupation, which lasted a month.

On the eve of March 1, 2022, at least four families stayed awake all night, their men not returning home. Until 7-8 in the morning, each family held onto hope, thinking they might have been delayed due to the occupation, spending the night with friends.

This hope dissipated for Petro first. Early in the morning, he went to search for his son Roman. He walked about a hundred meters from his home to the village’s central cross and saw the bodies of four men. Petro’s heart raced with dread; inside, everything churned with anticipation of impending tragedy. With great difficulty, he approached closer: among the dead was his 33-year-old son.

The tragedy reached Roman’s mother next. The woman collapsed near the cross, wiping the snow from her son’s face and screaming, “My son!!! For what???”. People heard this wild, inconsolable cry of a mother who lost her child from a kilometer away.

Katerina learned of her husband’s death, 34-year-old Stepan, next. Following her, Paulina was wounded by the news of her husband’s murder, 46-year-old Maxim. Julia came to collect her father’s body, 51-year-old Victor, with sleds, the last to know. She lived farthest from the center.

People transported the bodies of the slain to their homes and, as best they could, prepared them for burial. Thus, on the first day of spring, Stepan found his resting place in the garden, where he had planned to plow with his brand-new tractor that year. Maxim was buried beneath the window of the house he loved so much. And Roman – in the orchard, where as a child he loved to taste apples and cherries. Only Julia managed to bury her father in the cemetery: she lacked the strength to bring him home herself, but acquaintances helped her bury him in the cemetery.

Russian soldiers tortured all four unarmed villagers. Their bodies bore gunshot wounds to the genitals and legs, massive bruises, gun and stab wounds.

Murder of civilians and deaths due to lack of medication

On March 11th, the village came under shelling. Homes, streets, and most importantly, people, were affected.

“Uncle Vitya, save dad! Grandma is already dead,”

– with these words, a terrified girl ran to her neighbor.

That day, her grandmother Olena and grandfather Mykita from her father’s side were killed in the shelling. The husband had just come to bring things when a shell hit. Mykita died on the spot. Olena groaned for half an hour: her leg was torn off, so she slowly bled out and died. To alleviate her suffering in any way, the rural paramedic injected painkillers when she could reach the scene.

The son of the landlady, Mykola, also suffered a severe leg injury. But the man survived. He was taken to a neighbor who once served in the navy and knew the basics of first aid. He advised Mykola’s wife to pack the wound to stop the bleeding.

“And you know, she packed that wound. Her father was just killed, her mother-in-law died… But she gathered herself and managed to organize conditions for her husband to survive. Luckily, the paramedic had antibiotics. She injected them into the wounded man, so his condition stabilized. After the village was liberated, he was treated in Ukraine and abroad,” says a neighbor of the family who witnessed the events.

However, six villagers did not survive the occupation: they died due to a lack of specific medications and proper medical care. Among the deceased was the father of the tortured Stepan – Mykhailo. These people were also buried in their own yards.

“Open-air crematorium”

The battles for Chernihiv region lasted from February 24th to March 31st. The enemy repeatedly tried to take Chernihiv and was met with resistance. In many occupied villages, people provided coordinates of enemy equipment and locations of Russian troops. Based on this information, the Ukrainian Armed Forces struck. Consequently, the enemy suffered considerable losses.

Many villagers testify that Russian soldiers burned the bodies of their own soldiers. This happened on the territory of a destroyed grain storage.

According to locals, Russian soldiers transported the bodies with ambulances. Then they unloaded them near the demolished grain storage, poured something over them, and set them on fire. They finished off the wounded: villagers heard shots from the side of the storage.

The flames were violet-blue in color. The stench surrounded the area, making it difficult to breathe. This lasted for two days. During this nearly continuous burning, the concrete slabs on the grain storage resembled torn paper.

“In the first two days, the doors of the body trucks were still closed. Later, I saw hands hanging from the sides… The bodies at the farm burned for two days. From the window, I could see two soldiers taking the body, swinging it, and throwing it into the fire. The third one poured something from a bucket, and it burned. Breathing at that time was difficult, there was black smoke,” said a local resident.

Two years have passed. People are returning to normal life. The destroyed farm has been restored and is operating again. At the cross in the center of the village, the Ukrainian flag flies proudly, and a memorial plaque with the names of the slain villagers stands firmly. It serves as a reminder of the war crimes committed by Russian occupiers here…

The material was prepared by Natalia Naidiuk.

This publication is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the framework of the Human Rights in Action Program implemented by Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union.

Opinions, conclusions and recommendations presented in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID, the United States Government. The contents are the responsibility of the authors.

USAID is the world’s premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. USAID’s work demonstrates American generosity, and promotes a path to recipient self-reliance and resilience, and advances U.S. national security and economic prosperity. USAID has partnered with Ukraine since 1992, providing more than $9 billion in assistance. USAID’s current strategic priorities include strengthening democracy and good governance, promoting economic development and energy security, improving health care systems, and mitigating the effects of the conflict in the east. For additional information about USAID in Ukraine, please call USAID’s Development Outreach and Communications Office at: +38 (044) 521-5753. You may also visit our website: http://www.usaid.gov/ukraine or our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/USAIDUkraine.

All images in this material were created using artificial intelligence and are purely illustrative.

Levonky is a small village located in the Chernihiv region, about 25 kilometers from the regional center. About a hundred people live here, and the only one of its kind in Ukraine, the “Regional Center for Social Adaptation,” is located here. It was created mainly for people without a permanent place of residence.

On March 30, 2022, two columns of Russian military vehicles entered the village. On the way, they shot the transformer, immediately cutting off the electricity. After arriving in the village, Russian soldiers selected six local men for work and forced them to saw fallen trees that blocked the bridge over the river. They began conducting searches, trying to find Ukrainian soldiers and those who blocked their path.

“Pray, because your life is over…”

The men sawed the trees and returned. About 20 minutes later, Russian soldiers came back to the houses and took them, leading them to the territory of the Center for Social Adaptation. They took phones from everyone and interrogated them.

The soldiers took the men to the courtyard, made them kneel down, and tied their hands with ropes. They fired shots in different directions, threatening to shoot them. They told one of them, “Pray, because your life is over, we will kill you now, don’t worry—it will be quick.” Then they brought his father and also interrogated and fired shots over his head. Another local resident was beaten, and they threatened to deal with his family.

Later, the Russians took everyone to another room. There was a cage where the men were placed. They had guards and sometimes the commander visited. The men managed to escape only when the Russian military left the village.

Plundering and Destruction

Russian soldiers did not bypass the Center for Social Adaptation and stayed there for a day. They spent the night in a building that the staff used as a warehouse. They stole equipment, mattresses, pillows, dishes, and chairs. They left a mess. Russian soldiers even took things from a second-hand store that were brought here as humanitarian aid. Moreover, they shot two cows from the farm, which were taken care of by the center’s wards.

They looted the houses of local residents, taking whatever they liked. In one cellar, they threw a grenade. Moreover, in the village, Russian soldiers were often seen in a state of drunkenness.

The inscription left by Russian soldiers in the village club: “Forgive us, we came for the Bandera supporters. And there are looters among everyone :)”. Photo provided by witnesses.

Tank with an Explosive Before leaving the village, the wards of the Center were locked in a separate room. Witnesses said that meanwhile, Russian soldiers looted, poured fuel into one of the tanks, set it on fire, and closed the hatch. It burned for about an hour, and then exploded with such force that the tank’s caterpillar flew over the roof, it was found about 150 meters from the explosion site. Another piece of iron buried in the ground damaged the main water pipeline. The utility building collapsed nearby. The tank wheel pierced the trunk of a century-old tree, which fell. Nearby houses were damaged, the ceiling collapsed at the Center for Social Adaptation, windows were smashed, and so on. People managed to get out and put out the fire.

Volunteering

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the wards and employees of the Chernihiv Regional Center for Social Adaptation have been engaged in volunteering. They fed people in Chernihiv who were in bomb shelters with milk from the Levonka farm and other products. They delivered supplies to the blockaded city 25 kilometers away, even during shelling.

Even in just a few days of occupation, local residents were able to experience firsthand what “Russian world” is and how they could help others.

The preparation of informational materials became possible thanks to the Human Rights in Action Program, implemented by the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union with the support of #USAID. The views and interpretations presented here do not necessarily reflect the views of the US government, USAID, or #UHHRU. The authors and UHHRU are solely responsible for the content of the publication.

On February 28, 2022, the first column of Russian troops passed through the village of Levkovychi in Chernihiv region, starting an occupation that lasted just over a month. During this period, the Russians brutally killed local residents, detained and tortured them. People also died from shelling and lack of medicine. Houses in the village were damaged and looted.

On January 5, our documentarians visited Levkovychi and recorded evidence of war crimes committed in February-March 2022.

Russian soldiers shot dead four men: Oleksandr Orishko, Oleksandr Derkach, Yaroslav Varava, and Serhiy Nemchenko. Local residents heard gunfire, and later their fellow villagers found them dead. The bodies had numerous gunshot and stab wounds, as well as signs of beating. The men were tortured by Russian soldiers and then killed. The bodies of the deceased were found in the center of the village, right next to the cross. It is known that the men were preparing Molotov cocktails to stop columns of Russian troops, but they had no weapons. Their lives were cut short on the first day of the occupation.

The man who walked from Slavutych to Levkovychi was detained and taken prisoner. The Russians decided to make him a “messenger.” To make him agree, they tortured him, cutting crosses with a knife where tattoos were on his arms and legs. To prevent him from escaping, they went to his parents’ house and took his father hostage. The man was sent to Slavutych to deliver a letter to local authorities. What was written there is unknown, as there was no opportunity to see.

Witnesses who agreed to be interviewed spoke of looting by Russian soldiers. They looted uninhabited houses, and where people lived, they entered and took food, cars, livestock, and even underwear. Shops and the village council were also looted. Local farmers also suffered from abuses by Russian soldiers. Agricultural machinery on a farm in the village was destroyed and shot at. Russian army soldiers used fuel stocks prepared by the farmer for sowing and destroyed grain stocks.

Знищене зерносховище у селі Левковичі

There are many damaged houses in the village, with about 150 of them having damage. They suffered not only from shelling but also from Russian soldiers placing vehicles near houses and firing at Chernihiv. Two people died from shelling. These are Sotnyk Vitaliy and Tovkun Nina. Nina’s son, Oleg Tovkun, was injured and is still undergoing rehabilitation abroad.

The residents of Levkovychi lived in constant fear during the occupation. Civilians were threatened with death, for example, for violating the order not to look towards Russian soldiers or for refusing to accept food under the guise of humanitarian aid. They were forbidden to walk around the village or talk to each other. Living conditions in the occupation were also complicated by the lack of electricity, gas, communication, and especially medicine. In these conditions, six elderly people died in the village.

This continued until April 3, 2022, the day Levkovychi was liberated.

The preparation of this informational material was made possible thanks to the Human Rights in Action Program, implemented by the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union with the support of #USAID. The views and interpretations presented here do not necessarily reflect the views of the US Government, USAID, or #UHHRU. The authors and Educational Human Rights House – Chernihiv are solely responsible for the content of the publication.

The story of Oleksandr Dyakov is a tale of the strength and courage of a Ukrainian who faced the horrors of war right at his doorstep. It’s a story about persevering in the darkest hours, maintaining faith in victory, and doing everything possible to achieve it.

Before February 24th The life of Kherson resident Oleksandr Dyakov wasn’t much different from that of most Ukrainians until February 2022. He managed his own business, led the condominium association, engaged in civic activism, and sought to maintain order in his hometown.

However, on the morning of February 24th, he already understood that his life would soon undergo a radical transformation—he heard the first explosions signaling that the Russians had launched a full-scale assault on Ukrainian territory.

At that time, he was living in an apartment on the 14th floor of a high-rise building, offering a splendid view of the entire city and its surroundings. Instead of the usual winter landscapes, Oleksandr witnessed the aftermath of airstrikes that Russians initially carried out on Nova Kakhovka and later on Kherson.

“At first, we thought it was, as they say, a ‘canned food explosion.’ Then it quickly became clear that these were airstrikes.”

He could even count more than 60 enemy helicopters flying through the sky. Initially, he hoped that these were Ukrainian armed forces coming to defend the city. However, he soon realized it was hostile machinery.

Unity and Resistance to Occupiers

Alexander had already distinguished himself with an active civic stance, participating in the Revolution of Dignity and organizing and supporting various local initiatives, including those focused on anti-corruption efforts.

So, when on February 24th, Russia initiated a new stage of the war against Ukraine, he didn’t contemplate staying on the sidelines, watching as the enemy destroyed his hometown and country. Almost immediately, Alexander and other activists in Kherson formed a group that, from the first days, sought to resist the occupiers in various ways—transporting soldiers, organizing material aid for defenders and civilians, and providing essential information to the Ukrainian army.

17 Days in Captivity

However, soon the enemy learned about this activity, leading to searches, arrests, and abductions.

“They took one person from our group first, then another—and then me.”

For Alexander, it was clear from the start. When people from his group began disappearing, he wiped all personal information from his devices. When the Russians came for him, his technology couldn’t assist them anymore.

In Russian captivity, people faced brutal interrogations, beatings, electric shocks, and other tortures aimed at breaking Ukrainians psychologically and forcing them to collaborate with the occupiers.

“They torture people there in such a way that I don’t even blame the person who betrayed me. I understand that he went through the same as I did… Once they suggested connecting each other to the electric current and beating each other—we, of course, refused, but such things happened.”

He sustained himself with the thought that the doors would open any moment, Ukrainian soldiers would come in, and they would announce that Kherson had been liberated.

“Even when there were ‘hits,’ I thought, ‘Oh, our guys are hitting the occupiers… That’s good, let them hit.’ I constantly tried to calm myself and speak less in the cell, because you couldn’t understand who was who there… There were 6–7 people, and you hardly knew anyone. You get to know those people in the cell, understanding that among them, there might be someone cooperating with the occupiers—such cases were very common.”

Hospitals and Sheltering in Kherson

So it went on for 17 days: constant pain leading to a loss of control, injuries from beatings and torture—after all this, Alexander’s health deteriorated.

According to the man, the occupiers had only two options for him: “My ‘release’ was forced because they either had to bury me somewhere or treat me.”

Fortunately, the Russians chose the latter—Alexander was taken to a hospital. However, in the first hospital they brought him to, the doctors refused to help him because he was under the supervision of the occupiers.

“I thought then, ‘It’s over—they’ll take me to the forest. The hospital didn’t work out—they’ll kill and bury me in the woods. But, again, I was lucky—they asked if I knew another hospital in my city…”

On the second attempt, they admitted Alexander and began treatment. Initially, he spent three days under intravenous drips, after which he underwent two surgeries.

However, there was no talk of any real release—continuous monitoring persisted.

When the man’s condition somewhat improved, they returned his mobile phone and instructed him to stay in touch with the occupiers regularly, threatening to send him to prison for 20 years on charges of “terrorism.”

“They told me, ‘We’ll put you on the wanted list, you won’t escape anywhere, so don’t even think about running away.’ How could I escape? I couldn’t even walk at that time.”

Later, the Russian occupiers were forced to begin evacuating from the city—this is when the question of what to do with Alexander arose again. At that time, he was still in the hospital.

“The doctor told me, ‘You have two options: first, they will evacuate you to ‘that’ side (controlled by Russian occupiers).’ I replied, ‘No, no, no, this option doesn’t suit me!’ Then the chief doctor said, ‘Get ready on Monday and run away.'”

And that’s exactly what he did—Alexander managed to escape because there was almost no supervision, and a significant number of occupiers had left the city at that time.

“They tried to write to me, but I turned off the phone, removed the batteries, and made sure no one could find me.”

For another two and a half weeks, Alexander hid directly in Kherson until the city was liberated.

Rehabilitation

Having traversed this challenging path, Alexander advises people with similar fates not to give up, to seek programs that aid in rehabilitation, and to keep doing something because life is about action.

Alexander received urgent support from the Educational Human Rights House in Chernihiv within the framework of the Protection Program. He participated in the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Program supported by the ESU project.

Alexander at the Educational Human Rights House in Chernihiv with other participants of the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Program within the ESU project (Kolyhivka village)

He learned about the program from an acquaintance who had also undergone it before. According to Alexander, the rehabilitation activities lasted approximately a week at the Kolyhivka village base. There were many activities, but what he remembers most is working with psychologists—this allowed Alexander to gain the necessary knowledge and skills to overcome the consequences of traumatic experiences.

“The psychologists did their job—it helped me make certain adjustments, which I now use for myself. It ‘put everything in its place’ a bit.”

During the program, participants not only actively worked with professionals but also communicated among themselves—they have maintained their communication since then.

“I even told everyone that such places need to be opened in every city in Ukraine. Because you are doing what needs to be done. You help people a lot… Those who invest their potential but, in turn, receive nothing.”

“Impressions—super, everything is great, I really liked it. I would recommend it. Thank you very much!”

Volunteering

Currently, Alexander is still in Kherson—engaged in volunteering, helping the locals with food and continuing to manage the condominium association. The skills he acquired in the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Program have proven useful, says Alexander.

“I now work in Kherson, about five hundred families receive humanitarian aid from me every month—that’s a thousand people if we consider two to three people in one family. I take care of them and provide assistance—some also require psychological work.”

Volunteer activity of Alexander in Kherson

“Regardless of what people say, that Kherson has already had enough help —this is not true, the need for help is constant. Even if a person has money, but, for example, they are elderly, they can’t go out because they fear shelling—enemy shells constantly hit Kherson.”

Alexander believes that after the victory, he will still find things to do, but for now, he dreams only of Victory, the release of all Ukrainian prisoners, and the rebuilding of peaceful life in Kherson.

A person is destined without a defined goal, says to Alexander Dyakov. So he advises everyone who finds themselves in difficult circumstances not to give up and to continue contributing to the community, as this is how we approach the long-awaited victory.

This photo exhibition tells the story of a trip to the Kherson region. In October, our team of documentarians from the Human Rights Education House in Chernihiv conducted a monitoring mission in the Kherson region as part of the project “Education under fire” (Kherson and Sumy regions).” Our goal was to document attacks on educational institutions.

During the 7-day visit, our team managed to document 15 educational institutions. Most of them are either completely destroyed and beyond restoration or significantly damaged. Russian occupiers lived in many institutions, turning them into torture chambers and ammunition depots, deploying military equipment. Some schools were systematically targeted by Russian forces.

These photos of educational institutions in the Kherson region reveal the truth about what Russia is doing to education in Ukraine.

Liubymivka Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Ivaniivska village council, Henichesk district, Liubymivka village.

Liubymivka Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Ivaniivska village council, Henichesk district, Liubymivka village.

Zarychenska branch of the primary and preschool education institution “Archangelsk supportive institution of general secondary education” of the Vysokopil village council, Zarychne village.  

Liubymivka Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Ivaniivska village council, Henichesk district, Liubymivka village. 

Liubymivka Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Ivaniivska village council, Henichesk district, Liubymivka village. 

Liubymivka Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Ivaniivska village council, Henichesk district, Liubymivka village.

Liubymivka Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Ivaniivska village council, Henichesk district, Liubymivka village.

Novovoskresensk Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Novovorontsovsky district, Novovoskresenske village.

Novovoskresensk Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Novovorontsovsky district, Novovoskresenske village.

Liubymiv Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Ivaniivska village council, Henichesk district, Liubymivka village.

Liubymivka Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Ivaniivska village council, Henichesk district, Liubymivka village.

Liubymivka Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Ivaniivska village council, Henichesk district, Liubymivka village.

Liubymivka Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Ivaniivska village council, Henichesk district, Liubymivka village. 

Liubymivka Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Ivaniivska village council, Henichesk district, Liubymivka village. 

Novovoskresenska Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Novovorontsovsky district, Novovoskresenske village. 

Liubymivka Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Ivaniivska village council, Henichesk district, Liubymivka village.  

Novovoskresenska Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Novovorontsovsky district, Novovoskresenske village.

Liubymivka Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Ivaniivska village council, Henichesk district, Liubymivka village.

Zarychenska branch of the primary and preschool education institution “Archangelsk supportive institution of general secondary education” of the Vysokopil village council, Zarychne village.

Zarychenska branch of the primary and preschool education institution “Archangelsk supportive institution of general secondary education” of the Vysokopil village council, Zarychne village.

Liubymivka Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Ivaniivska village council, Henichesk district, Liubymivka village. 

Liubymivka Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Ivaniivska village council, Henichesk district, Liubymivka village. 

Novovoskresenska Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Novovorontsovsky district, Novovoskresenske village. 

Novovoskresenska Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Novovorontsovsky district, Novovoskresenske village. 

Liubymivska Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Ivaniivska village council, Henichesk district, Liubymivka village.

Liubymivka Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Ivaniivska village council, Henichesk district, Liubymivka village.

Liubymivka Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Ivaniivska village council, Henichesk district, Liubymivka  village.

Liubymivka Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Ivaniivska village council, Henichesk district, Liubymivka village.

Novovoskresenska Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Novovorontsovsky district, Novovoskresenske village.

“Novovoskresenska Secondary School I-III Levels, Novovoroncovsky District, Kherson Region, Village Novovoskresenske”

“Novovoskresenska Secondary School I-III Levels, Novovoroncovsky District, Kherson Region, Village Novovoskresenske”

Zarychenska branch of the primary and preschool education institution “Archangelsk supportive institution of general secondary education” of the Vysokopil village council, Zarychne village.

Liubymivka Comprehensive School I-III degrees, Ivaniivska village council, Henichesk district, Liubymivka village.

The author of the photos: Tetyana Symonenko.

As part of the project ‘Education under fire (Kherson and Sumy Regions),’ with financial support from the Czech organization People in Need, as part of the SOS Ukraine initiative.

“Forgive us, children of Ukraine. We are not killers; we are Russian soldiers. We are just common people like you. It’s just a war of politicians. ZOV.”

This is the message left by Russian soldiers on the board of Myroliubivka Gymnasium. And there’s more — piles of garbage, chaos, sorrow, and ruins…

In early October, our team of documentarians from the House conducted a monitoring mission to Kherson Region as part of the “Education under fire” (Kherson and Sumy Regions)” project. Our goal is to document attacks on educational institutions. We will tell you what we managed to document, what the Russians did there, and the condition of Kherson Region’s educational establishments after the reoccupation.

During our 7-day visit, we were able to document 15 educational institutions. Most of them are either completely destroyed and beyond repair, or significantly damaged. In many institutions, Russian occupiers lived, turned them into torture chambers, ammunition depots, and deployed equipment. Some schools were systematically targeted by the Russians. But let’s go through it all step by step.”

The Arkhangelske General Secondary Education Support Facility of the Vysokopil Village Council

Before Russians arrived to Arkhangelske, there was a functioning school. Even after the start of the full-scale invasion, when offline education no longer took place in the institution, local residents used the school’s basement as a shelter during shelling.

After the occupation of the village, civilians could no longer enter the premises because the Russians had “moved in” to the school. Russian soldiers lived on the school grounds for a long time, storing combat kits there, conducting mortar shelling from the school’s courtyard, and hiding their equipment in dug trenches on the school’s premises. Of course, following the classic pattern, they looted all the valuable assets from the institution.

The Arkhangelske General Secondary Education Support Facility of the Vysokopil Village Council

The school suffered significant damage from shelling: windows, doors, the roof, the facade, the gym wall, and the library were all affected. In total, 80% of the infrastructure in the town of Arkhangelske was destroyed.

Arkhangelske Professional Agricultural College

The college premises consist of several buildings. One of the structures is historical, built back in 1884. Nearby, there is a dormitory and an educational building constructed between 1973 and 1975. The college is located in the center of the town, close to the local hospital, school, kindergarten, and shops. Additionally, the college building is situated on higher ground than other town structures, making it an ideal location for Russian soldiers.

Arkhangelske Professional Agricultural College

Occupiers stationed approximately 50 pieces of equipment on the college grounds and launched continuous shelling from there. The Russians lived in the classrooms and dormitory, storing combat kits there. The college suffered significant damage from the shelling: the dormitory was almost completely destroyed, and in the educational building, the roof, gym, and windows were damaged. Unfortunately, aside from the educational institution’s premises, people were also affected. The occupiers killed a college employee for refusing to cooperate.

Arkhangelske Preschool Educational Institution “Teremok”

This kindergarten is located near the college, approximately 500 meters away. While Russian soldiers didn’t reside in the kindergarten itself or place their equipment there, its proximity to the college, where the occupiers had their equipment, caused damage to the kindergarten as well.

The most extensive destruction of the preschool occurred in August 2022 due to incoming fire. As a result, almost all windows were shattered, pavilions, the children’s playground, gas pipelines (smokestacks), and furniture were damaged.

Arkhangelske Preschool Educational Institution “Teremok”

Furthermore, Russian military personnel stole the director’s car from the kindergarten. They systematically went through the houses of local residents, confiscating vehicles and searching for food, alcohol, cigarettes, and more. Some local residents, especially those who were involved in territorial defense, were taken for questioning to the college dormitory.

Vysokopillya Lyceum of the Kherson Regional Council

The village of Vysokopyllya was occupied in early March 2022. The local school faced the same fate as most educational institutions in the populated areas of Kherson, which were under occupation. Russian soldiers resided in the school’s sports hall and cafeteria, where beds with mattresses were set up.

The school was shelled by Russian forces from a tank, and they found shrapnel from a Grad rocket on the school premises. Additionally, a “mukha” (fly) projectile was discovered in the inner courtyard.

Vysokopillya Lyceum of the Kherson Regional Council

The lyceum suffered partial damage: all windows were shattered, doors were torn down, all safes were broken into, the audio equipment was destroyed, the second floor’s structure was compromised, and the roof was damaged. Documents, video cameras, furniture, equipment, and tableware were stolen from the premises.

Dudchansky Lyceum of the Mylivska Village Council

The village of Dudchany is located in the red zone, approximately 8 km from the positions of the occupiers. It was occupied in early March 2022 and liberated about 8 months later. During this time, the Russians caused a lot of harm, including harm to educational institutions.

Dudchansky Lyceum has structural units for preschool and extracurricular education. The lyceum suffered the most damage from shelling, with the most intense attack occurring around October 3, 2022. Eyewitnesses suspect that a mortar attack took place near the school stadium, as there are distinct traces of impacts on the stadium. In addition, the institution was damaged by an aerial bomb.

In the sports hall, Russian military personnel set up a headquarters and conducted interrogations of local residents. Furthermore, near the lyceum, the Russians distributed their “humanitarian aid” as a public display.

Dudchansky Lyceum of the Mylivska Village Council

Dudchansky Kindergarten

Russian military personnel lived in the building of the kindergarten and placed their equipment nearby. They left before the shelling, which had become a traditional practice of the occupiers. After the attack, which occurred on August 29, 2022, the building of the kindergarten was completely destroyed and it is not possible to restore it. Additionally, nearby houses of local residents were also affected by the damage caused by the shelling.

Zarichnenska Branch of Kindergarten and Primary Education of the Public Institution “Arkhangelske Basic Secondary Education Establishment”

This educational institution suffered the most in the community, with 28 shells hitting the building. Most of these shells came from the direction of Arkhangelske, which was controlled by the Russians at the time. After such shelling, the school is beyond repair.

Zarichnenska Branch of Kindergarten and Primary Education of the Public Institution “Arkhangelske Basic Secondary Education Establishment”

Considering the number of shelling incidents, it can be assumed that this school was the specific target of attacks by the Russians.

Novovoskresensky Secondary Education Establishment

Russian military personnel used this school as their headquarters and as a “barracks” since they lived there, including in the basement. Additionally, they stored their combat kits in the school building and conducted interrogations of local residents there. Weapons and ammunition, including RPGs, grenades, and 80mm and 120mm rounds, were found in the school.

The school suffered the most damage from shelling, which occurred on October 3, 2022, at around 3 o’clock in the morning. Interestingly, the day before, Russian military personnel had left the school building and then returned to it.

Novovoskresensky Secondary Education Establishment

As a result of the shelling, the school is partially destroyed: many classrooms are in ruins, furniture is damaged, windows are shattered, computer equipment and other valuable property, including sound systems and interactive whiteboards, have been taken away. Furthermore, according to witnesses, when the Russians were leaving, they doused the school with a flammable substance and set it on fire.

Novikayir School of Secondary Education in the Myliv Village Council

In early March 2022, Russians entered the village of Novokayiry. From the first days of their presence in the village, the occupiers came to the school, overturned everything, and conducted searches several times, witnessed by the teachers.

Local residents living near the school observed how the Russians loaded school belongings. It is noteworthy that they even ripped hand dryers from the dining area. Additionally, occupiers stationed their equipment on the school’s stadium.

Novikayir School of Secondary Education in the Myliv Village Council

The first shelling of the school occurred in November 2022, targeting the stadium. As a result, windows and doors were shattered. In December 2022, there was a direct hit on the school (this happened after the de-occupation). Locals say that Ukrainian military personnel were near the school.

The Russians also organized meetings with teachers, trying to coerce them into collaboration, making threats. However, the teachers did not agree. The school director was taken for questioning multiple times, and they shone a lamp in her face, reminiscent of scenes from Soviet films.

Ivanivska Branch of the Basic Secondary and Preschool Education Establishment “Arkhangelsk BSEE”

In this school, Russian military personnel were directly stationed and used the premises as an ammunition depot. They also placed their military equipment on the school’s grounds, from which, according to witnesses, they opened fire. Witnesses also reported finding various types of ammunition near the school and inside the building.

The establishment suffered the most significant damage in mid-March (after March 8, 2022) from shelling. An unexploded shell was found on the roof of the building. There were direct hits on the school as well, resulting in a damaged roof, completely destroyed classrooms, and two ceiling slabs above the assembly hall and library. Additionally, 154 windows were shattered, entrance and interior doors were destroyed, and the school’s fence was damaged as a result of the shelling.

Ivanivska Branch of the Basic Secondary and Preschool Education Establishment “Arkhangelsk BSEE”

Unfortunately, the school was not only damaged by the shelling but also by the presence of the Russian occupants. Following the typical pattern, they looted all valuable equipment, including computer equipment, furniture, and more. The occupiers also left inscriptions on the school boards, such as “Tajikistan.”

Lyubymiv Establishment of Complete Secondary Education of Novovorontsovka Village Council

This educational institution was used by the Russian soldiers as a command post. The Russian soldiers also utilized it as a storage facility for the property they looted from local residents. The basement of the building functioned as a shelter. Inside the institution, there was a storage of combat kits, and near the school, there were armored personnel carriers. On the third floor, the occupiers practiced shooting. What is astonishing is that banners were hung in the school.

According to witnesses, there were snipers in the school, and if someone approached without warning, they would shoot at their legs. Additionally, as per eyewitness accounts, the occupiers kept people and wounded individuals in captivity there. Bloodied mattresses were found. For example, on March 31st, the school’s accountant was in captivity by the Russian military for over 8 hours. Witnesses noted that people in captivity were not only local residents but also residents of neighboring villages.

Lyubymiv Establishment of Complete Secondary Education of Novovorontsovka Village Council

The school sustained the most damage from shelling when the Russians were leaving the village. The first strike occurred in June 2022 in the gymnasium, and the most significant one took place on September 23, 2022.

As a result of these attacks, the institution has been partially destroyed. Several floors collapsed, walls were damaged, almost all windows and doors were shattered, and the children’s playground was damaged. The Russians also engaged in looting, stealing interactive boards, televisions, office equipment, a 3D printer, and other valuable assets.

Myliv Establishment of Complete Secondary Education of Myliv Village Council

After the occupation of the village, the Russians began using this institution as a “barracks.” In some classrooms, they lived, and in the cafeteria, they prepared food, presumably distributing it to their units. Local residents often witnessed cargo trucks arriving at the school, and it was believed that the Russians were loading something onto them.

After some time, the “occupying authorities” switched the educational process to the Russian curriculum. Additionally, the Russians summoned local teachers for interrogations and pressured them to cooperate.

After an attack that occurred on October 13, 2022, the school was completely destroyed and cannot be restored. It sustained three direct hits from projectiles. You can read more about the history of this school here. 

Myliv Establishment of Complete Secondary Education of Myliv Village Council

Myliv Preschool Educational Institution “Kazka”

This preschool, like Myliv School, was destroyed after being shelled. According to witnesses, the most significant damage to the institution occurred during three “attacks” from the direction of Novokayir. The destruction affected not only the two-story building of the institution but also the playgrounds located within the kindergarten’s premises.

Myliv Preschool Educational Institution “Kazka”

Myrolubiv Gymnasium of Novovorontsovka Village Council

The village of Myrolubivka was occupied from March 10, 2022, to September 10, 2022. Russian soldiers were living in the school building, and their headquarters were located in the assembly hall. According to witnesses, there were not many Russians in the educational institution, approximately around 20 soldiers. Among them were snipers and their “superiors” who issued orders to other Russian military personnel.

Local residents report that the Russians would go into homes and take valuable items, cars, and even livestock. They would butcher the pigs taken from local residents right inside the school building. Furthermore, in the classrooms and the library where the Russians lived, they made “toilets,” and in some classrooms, they would light fires directly on the floor. In many classrooms and the gym, the occupiers left inscriptions, many with symbols Z, O, V, and profanity. In one of the classrooms, there was a message that read: “Forgive us, Ukrainian children. We are not killers, we are Russian soldiers. The same kind of people as you. It’s just politics. ZOV.”

The school suffered significant damage from artillery attacks, especially on the upper floors of the three-story building. In some classrooms, there are no walls left, and the floor has caved in, among other damage. The Russians also looted all valuable items from the school, including items from the inclusive classroom.

Myrolubiv Gymnasium of Novovorontsovka Village Council

Novovoznesenska Branch of Preschool and Basic Secondary Education” of the Municipal Institution “Vysokopil Basic Secondary Education Support Establishment”

The building of the Novovoznesenska School is ruined and beyond repair following artillery attacks. In some parts of the facility, access is still restricted due to its hazardous condition.

The Russians resided in this school, primarily in the semi-basement area, where the cafeteria and some other rooms were located. On the upper floors of the building, they established an observation post, and snipers were also positioned there. Additionally, the occupiers parked their military equipment on the school premises. Next to the school, there was a well where local residents went to fetch water. Witnesses reported that the Russians occasionally shot at the legs of the locals walking to get water.

The occupiers also set up a torture chamber in the school building, where they primarily brought local young men for interrogations. According to local accounts, they tortured Ukrainian soldiers who fell into captivity there.

The school building suffered the most damage from artillery attacks after the de-occupation since the village was close to the front lines. Witnesses claim that when the Russians retreated, they continued to shell the village, including civilian homes and administrative buildings, such as the school. This might have been their way of seeking revenge because they couldn’t impose their “Russian world” on the area.

Novovoznesenska Branch of Preschool and Basic Secondary Education” of the Municipal Institution “Vysokopil Basic Secondary Education Support Establishment”

Destroying, ruining, shelling, looting educational institutions, and subjecting them to mistreatment is a classic tactic of the Russians who came to our Ukrainian land. They don’t just dream to seize our territory; they want to destroy our education and culture and impose their own on us. However, they will never succeed, because Ukrainians are a strong nation that fights for its freedom and will undoubtedly prevail!