Shield of Chernihiv

People turn up at our departure from the village. They all want tell their story

Leaving Lukashivka

13.10

Breakfast consisted of food left from yesterday's dinner + coffee. Almost everything we see in the house is new. When the Russians left at the end of March 2022, all the houses were emptied of everything that could be removed. "They even took my wife's underwear," Valery said with a mocking laugh.

When we are about to leave, a neighbor, Hryhoriy Tkachenko, arrives. He wants to tell his story, and I write:

"I had a grain drying complex, the highest point in town, maybe 20 meters high. A Ukrainian flag was planted on top. So when the invaders entered the village, they just shot with tanks. They were shooting for a long time because the building was strong and our banner was holding. But they destroyed it eventually. What they cannot steal, they destroyed. Tractors, seeders, cars... Barbarians, - there is no other word for it".

Debris left by the Russians

After he returned to the liberated village, he learned about the loss of more than a hundred cows and bulls. It took more than a week to collect the cattle carcasses and bury them in accordance with with environmental regulations. They stole equipment, burned and bombed.

Someone else said: My house was gone. The only thing left were three graves.

Lasse and Jonas stayed with a widow who farmed the land with the help of two hired men. They had a frugal dinner while she was peeling potatoes. She was obviosly quite poor. Happy to try the potato peeler she was given as a present from Lasse. From Jonas she got a rolling pin in teflon. This was the only family that did not serve vodka. Suited Lasse, who is a teetotaler.

Gustav, on the other hand, who never turns down a drink, was eventually forced to sneak a glass into the flower pot.

Wonderful, heaven on earth! Said Ivona about staying at the villagers' home.

As I expected, this became the highlight of the tour.

Back in Chernihiv, we were taken around by Stanislav, a serving soldier, to the places that saw the heaviest battles. He himself took part together with his brother who was killed.

Film, Shield of Chernihiv

In the evening, we were shown a film about the battle of Chernihiv by the director himself.

Watching the film

A minute oif silence whith the names of the 250 men and women who died in the battle

Perhaps too grim to be allowed on YouTube. A man shouts Slava Ukraina and is immediately shot dead by a Russian soldier.

After a long day at the hotel