The workday proceeded with its usual demands.
News broke that Russian forces had once again targeted my home region of Zaporizhzhia, a territory in southern Ukraine divided between Russian forces claiming full annexation and Ukrainian defenders.
From my office in central London, a wave of nostalgia prompted me to examine the latest satellite imagery of my childhood village, Verkhnya Krynytsya (Upper Well), located in the Russian-occupied zone and a short distance from the active front lines.
I observed the familiar dirt roads and houses enveloped in verdant vegetation. However, an anomaly captured my attention.
Amidst the apparent tranquility of the village I remember so well, a new, well-worn path had emerged, leading directly to my former family home.
Satellite analysis reveals that the path first appeared in the summer of 2022, approximately four months after the occupation began. Winter images confirmed its continued use, with a vehicle observed on the path in January 2023.
The only plausible explanation for such activity in an occupied village near the front lines is the presence of Russian soldiers, who alone would have reason to traverse a war zone.
The reality is that my childhood village is no longer a haven of peace. Verkhnya Krynytsya fell under Russian occupation shortly after the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
By then, my family’s former residence was likely unoccupied, having been sold long ago. Nevertheless, I visited Verkhnya Krynytsya annually until the occupation, observing the house in a state of apparent abandonment, with an overgrown garden.
This was unsurprising, given the village’s small size and limited opportunities for those of working age, who often sought employment elsewhere.
However, many residents remained, with over a thousand still present when Russia launched its invasion. Two days later, Ukrainian authorities distributed 43 Kalashnikov rifles to assist villagers in defending against the Russian advance.
At a community meeting, residents decided against using the weapons against the invaders. A month later, village head Serhiy Yavorsky was captured by Russian forces, who subjected him to torture involving electricity, needles, and acid, according to testimony presented in a Ukrainian court.
The Russians also targeted a sewage treatment facility on the village outskirts, establishing a command post there after Ukrainian forces withdrew.
Even the surrounding landscape has been irrevocably altered.
Prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion, Verkhnya Krynytsya was situated on the banks of the vast Kakhovka reservoir, colloquially known as “the Sea.”
Visible from virtually anywhere in the village, the reservoir was a popular swimming spot in the summer and a destination for ice fishing in the winter. One of my earliest memories is of local women singing Ukrainian folk songs as the sun set over the Kakhovka on a warm summer evening.
The Sea vanished following the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in June 2023, resulting in catastrophic floods that devastated homes and farmland.
In an attempt to ascertain the current conditions in Verkhnya Krynytsya, I endeavored to contact local residents.
Predictably, obtaining information proved challenging.
Many have fled, and those remaining in the village, as in other occupied areas of Ukraine, fear speaking to the media. Frontline locations are particularly lawless, with swift and brutal retribution from Russian forces a constant threat.
Social media groups dedicated to Verkhnya Krynytsya fell silent after the occupation, and my inquiries went unanswered.
Asking someone to investigate my former home was out of the question. The once-peaceful village has become a zone of fear.
The danger in Verkhnya Krynytsya also stems from aerial attacks. Its proximity to the front lines makes it vulnerable to frequent strikes by Ukrainian forces.
An acquaintance informed me that locals prefer to remain indoors to avoid drone strikes. “It’s very dangerous there,” I was told. “They are active and can target you, your house, or your car. Our village has changed a lot, Vitaly.”
Given the peril and devastation inflicted on Verkhnya Krynytsya by the war, who could possibly be responsible for the path leading to my old home?
It is highly improbable that anyone would choose to relocate to the village under current conditions, with the exception of Russian soldiers.
Many have occupied vacant houses since capturing Verkhnya Krynytsya. In June 2022, Zaporizhzhia authorities reported receiving intelligence indicating that Russian troops were stationed in the village. This corresponds with the initial appearance of the path in satellite imagery.
To verify my suspicion that Russian soldiers had taken up residence in my former home, I contacted the Ukrainian 128th Detached Heavy Mechanised Brigade, which is involved in operations in the area.
“You’re likely correct,” spokesman Oleksandr Kurbatov confirmed.
As locals flee the frontline areas, they are being replaced by Russian military personnel, he added.
“If there are insufficient vacant houses, demand is high. It is usually military personnel from the occupation army,” he stated.
As no one in the village was willing to risk inspecting my house, I enlisted the assistance of my BBC Verify colleague, Richard Irvine-Brown, to obtain and analyze recent satellite images. These revealed a pattern of activity around the house where I grew up.
No path to the property was visible in March 2022, one month after the invasion.
Apart from a faint path observed in two satellite images in June, the property appeared unused. The path then reappeared in December, with a car observed using it in January 2023. No further images are available until August, by which time the track had become well-established.
The path’s visibility fluctuates with the seasons, suggesting intermittent use.
The property appears to be used during the winter months, likely by Russian soldiers moving into vacant properties. This is plausible, as harsh Ukrainian winters can make it too cold for personnel and supplies to remain in trenches and makeshift dwellings.
The full truth of what has happened to my house may remain unknown for an extended period, certainly as long as the village remains under occupation.
For now, it seems my old home has become a small component in the broader machinery of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Additional reporting by Richard Irvine-Brown
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