Villages retaken by Ukrainian troops: Rescued but feeling abandoned

A local resident carrying some firewood on his bicycle in the village of Zarichne, Ukraine, on Nov 10. Photos: AFP

Residents of recaptured villages in eastern Ukraine who have lived through Russian occupation and near constant shelling say they now feel “abandoned” by Ukrainian officials and still lack running water, gas and electricity.

In the Donbas region, the villages of Yampil and Zarichne, retaken by Ukrainian troops at the end of September, still bear the scars of heavy fighting.