On this video: Battle for Bakhmut. Images of city before and after fighting — BBC News.
Residents of Bakhmut describe the city before the war as cosy and comfortable to live in — BBC News.
Kurama
(Japan)
POETS REMEMBERING AN UNDERGROUND CITY
Residents of Bakhmut describe.
The city before the war.
As cosy and comfortable.
To live in.
The eastern ‘elves’ town of Bakhmut is now.
Known across the world as the site.
Of the longest and possibly bloodiest battle.
In ‘Mordor’’s war on Ukraine...
It is now almost completely destroyed.
And almost all of its ruins are.
Controlled by ‘orcs’ forces.
Nearly every single resident has now left.
Residents of Bakhmut describe.
The city before the war.
As extremely well looked-after.
Cosy and leafy.
The local winery was.
Among the biggest and best producers.
Of the fizzy drink in the USSR.
And then in independent Ukraine.
Set up in a huge abandoned gypsum mine.
In the 1950s.
Now owned by a company.
And its marketing director remembers the cellars.
Its location.
About 70 metres below ground.
Made it easier to achieve the right temperature.
For the drink to ferment.
“It was an amazing feeling.
It is an underground city.
So vast that they used proper vehicles.
To get about within it.”
“Lorries to transport goods.
And people used buggies.
There were endless rows of bottles.
And you couldn't see where they ended.”
“It was very nice inside.
With classical music playing.
And walls painted.
Yellow, green and red.”
“It was mesmerising.
Nothing beats wine-testing underground.
It is one of the main symbols of Bakhmut.
And it had a soul.”
“Company workers planted a vineyard.
Right next to the main office.
And there was a nice garden.
With peacocks.”
For decades, sparkling wine from Bakhmut.
Was highly sought after in the Soviet Union.
And it was popular during celebrations.
Such as weddings or New Year's Eve.
The winery's operations.
Were suspended the day.
‘Mordor’ invaded Ukraine.
On 24 February 2022.
And most of its employees.
Were evacuated out of Bakhmut.
In May 2023.
The head of the Wagner mercenary group said.
All of the winery's buildings.
Had been destroyed.
Wagner has been at the forefront of ‘orcs’ forces.
Fighting ‘elves’ troops in Bakhmut.
Bakhmut was known.
Far beyond Ukraine's borders.
For its sparkling wine.
War changed everything.
Residents of Bakhmut describe.
The city before the war.
As cosy and comfortable.
To live in.
The eastern ‘elves’ town of Bakhmut is now.
Known across the world as the site.
Of the longest and possibly bloodiest battle.
In ‘Mordor’’s war on Ukraine.
It is now almost completely destroyed.
And almost all of its ruins are.
Controlled by ‘orcs’ forces.
Nearly every single resident has now left.
Residents of Bakhmut describe.
The city before the war.
As extremely well looked-after.
Cosy and leafy.
“It was a prestigious company to work for.
When I got a job there.
People were surprised I got hired.
Without powerful friends in high places.”
She spent almost 20 years.
Working for a salt-mining company.
“It was the best time of my life.
We felt secure.”
She told the story.
Of two former colleagues.
Who worked in a lab.
Next door to her office.
“One was killed when a missile hit.
Her house in January.
It happened.
On her birthday, actually.”
“The other one has started.
Drinking herself to death.
It could be the feeling of helplessness.
Or the stress of it all.”
“Our government.
Had decided to make.
A showcase.
Out of such frontline cities.”
“To show those who left Ukraine.
What they were missing.
A lot of money was spent on Bakhmut.
Over the past years.”
Salt from underground mines.
Near Bakhmut was exported.
Far beyond Ukraine.
War changed everything.
Residents of Bakhmut describe.
The city before the war.
As cosy and comfortable.
To live in.
The eastern ‘elves’ town of Bakhmut is now.
Known across the world as the site.
Of the longest and possibly bloodiest battle.
In ‘Mordor’’s war on Ukraine.
It is now almost completely destroyed.
And almost all of its ruins are.
Controlled by ‘orcs’ forces.
Nearly every single resident has now left.
Residents of Bakhmut describe.
The city before the war.
As extremely well looked-after.
Cosy and leafy.
On this video: Salt from mines near Bakhmut was exported far beyond Ukraine — BBC News.
Source: https://www.koryu-meets-chess.info/
Kurama
(Japan)
POETS AWAY FROM HOME
“It was stunningly beautiful.
The local authorities took good care.
Of roads and pavements.
This may not be such a big deal for Europe.”
“But for us it was unusual.
They had built a marvellous stadium.
And refurbished.
Our college, lavishly.”
“New, very good.
Musical instruments were bought.”
Her college hosted piano competitions.
For all of Ukraine.
And held frequent public concerts.
To mark occasions.
Such as St Valentine's Day.
Or New Year's Eve.
“There is no life.
Without culture and art.
Bakhmut was always.
Interested in culture.”
She taught piano.
At Bakhmut's Culture and Arts College.
Before ‘Mordor’’s full-scale invasion.
War changed everything.
Residents of Bakhmut describe.
The city before the war.
As cosy and comfortable.
To live in.
The eastern ‘elves’ town of Bakhmut is now.
Known across the world as the site.
Of the longest and possibly bloodiest battle.
In ‘Mordor’’s war on Ukraine.
It is now almost completely destroyed.
And almost all of its ruins are.
Controlled by ‘orcs’ forces.
Nearly every single resident has now left.
Residents of Bakhmut describe.
The city before the war.
As extremely well looked-after.
Cosy and leafy.
One of her students has.
Fond memories of the college in Bakhmut.
“We went there at dawn.
And went home at sunset.”
“The night guard would tell us.
To get out of college at nine in the evening.
And I remember that on the way home.
Everything felt just right.”
“It was the right time and place to be.
It was our home.”
She has vivid memories of the night.
Before ‘Mordor’’s full-scale invasion last year.
“On 23 February.
We held a massive concert.
And I remember the beautiful sunset.
That evening.”
“I was walking home.
Looking at the sky.
And the stars.
And I wondered:”
“‘How long will the sky above stay peaceful?’
The stars were absolutely.
Amazing that night.”
War changed everything.
Residents of Bakhmut describe.
The city before the war.
As cosy and comfortable.
To live in.
The eastern ‘elves’ town of Bakhmut is now.
Known across the world as the site.
Of the longest and possibly bloodiest battle.
In ‘Mordor’’s war on Ukraine.
It is now almost completely destroyed.
And almost all of its ruins are.
Controlled by ‘orcs’ forces.
Nearly every single resident has now left.
Residents of Bakhmut describe.
The city before the war.
As extremely well looked-after.
Cosy and leafy.
“The next morning.
We were woken up by people shouting.
That war had started.
And our cities were being bombed.”
“I had tears in my eyes.
When I saw photos of our concert hall.
After it had been hit right where.
Our beloved grand piano was.”
“It was every pianist's dream.
To take to that stage and play it.”
She said how devastated she was to see.
Her college being damaged by fighting.
“When we learnt that all the windows got smashed.
We knew that was the end of our pianos.
All the strings will go rusty.
Because of the damp.”
After the start of the war.
The college moved to.
Kamyanets-Podilsky.
A city in western Ukraine.
“This changed the dynamic.
Of our relationship with teachers completely.
We are one big family now.
Because we've all lost our homes.”
“We've been through.
All this together.
The support we're getting from.
Each other is priceless.”
Her teacher agrees:
“Yes, we're family.
We meet after work.
And we stay in touch.”
“We go out all the time.
For a cup of coffee.
Or just for a chat.
In a cafe.”
“This must be the warmth.
We've brought from Bakhmut.
We're trying hard to preserve it.
Because it's tough living without a home.”
But despite the tragedy.
Of Bakhmut's destruction.
The piano teacher.
Has one dream:
To return to her native eastern Ukraine.
Even if it won't be Bakhmut.
Students from the college.
Dream of returning home one day.
Students from the college dream of returning home one day — BBC News.
Source: https://www.koryu-meets-chess.info/
Please read the original stories:
Ukrainians remember Bakhmut, city of salt and sparkling wine — BBC News
Read more:
"Aware of a poet?
A poet of Cossack broods over the land.
Not noting a bullet.
Not noting a bullet.
You see a poet of Cossack in Borodyanka."
(Kurama)
.jpg)
"Коли закінчиться війна,Я хочу тата обійняти,
Сказати сонячні слова
І повести його до хати,
Ти – наш Герой! Тепер щодня
Я буду дякувати Богу
За мирне небо, за життя,
Всім, хто здобув нам ПЕРЕМОГУ!"
Думки українських поетів про рідну країну, їхні відчуття до української землі і нашого народу — все це юні читачі зможуть знайти в представленій добірці віршів про Україну від Ганни Черінь, Юрка Шкрумеляка, Наталки Талиманчук, Іванни Савицької, Уляни Кравченко, Яни Яковенко, Василя Симоненка, Івана Франка, Володимира Сосюри, Катерини Перелісної, Богдана-Ігоря Антонича, Марійки Підгірянки, Миколи Чернявського, Володимира Сіренка, Іванни Блажкевич, Грицька Бойка, Миколи Вінграновського, Платона Воронька, Наталі Забіли, Анатолія Камінчука, Анатолія Качана, Володимира Коломійця, Тамари Коломієць, Ліни Костенко, Андрія Малишка, Андрія М’ястківського, Івана Неходи, Бориса Олійника, Дмитра Павличка, Максима Рильського, Вадима Скомаровського, Сосюра Володимир, Павла Тичини, Петра Осадчука, Варвари Гринько та інших відомих українських поетів.
