In Photos: A Ukrainian village that may fall under Russian control again
Staryi Saltiv, a frontline village in the Kharkiv region, fell under Russian control in the winter of 2022, but by the arrival of spring, the Ukrainian army took back its control. Now, Russian forces are closing in again.
![Remains of a civilian vehicle which came under fire in the summer of 2022 when the village of Staryi Saltiv in Kharkiv was taken by the Russian forces. [Photo: Sami Siva]](https://images-cdn.trtworld.com/trtworld/w664/h374/q70/21080689_0-90-1920-1081.jpeg "Remains of a civilian vehicle which came under fire in the summer of 2022 when the village of Staryi Saltiv in Kharkiv was taken by the Russian forces. [Photo: Sami Siva]")
Remains of a civilian vehicle which came under fire in the summer of 2022 when the village of Staryi Saltiv in Kharkiv was taken by the Russian forces. [Photo: Sami Siva]
Staryi Saltiv has been teetering between Russian and Ukrainian control since the winter of 2022. Two years ago, as Russians entered the village, people hid in their basements and cellars, braving intense fighting with no electricity, heat, running water, or contact with the outside world.
Most residents have left the village as their homes were reduced to rubble. The remaining survivors are fending for each other to survive another battle, as Russian troops are inching closer.
At first look, the village appears peaceful. But the war is lingering nearby. The towns of Vovchansk and Starytsya—about 15 kilometers away—are partially under Russian control. Staryi Saltiv could be next.
On the morning of September 23, the village was bombed again.
This photo essay captures the uncertainty enveloping the village, which was photographed on various occasions from February 2023 to September 2024.
Local volunteers carry supply across the bridge, that was damaged during the occupation in 2022, to other side of Siverskyi Dontests River. [Photo: Sami Siva]
A local waits to fetch his friend arriving from the other side of the bridge on the river Siverskyi Dontests, which was damaged during the occupation in 2022. The bridge is the main route that connects to the rest of the region including Vovchansk, a town on the Ukrainian border which is close to falling under Russian control. [Photo: Sami Siva]
Larisa tends her cows under emergency light due to the power cuts. She remained in the village during the Russian occupation and continues to supply milk to the residents of the village. [Photo: Sami Siva]
Residents show the basement of their apartment complex, where they lived during the occupation from Feb – May 2022. They fear returning to these underground spaces again. [Photo: Sami Siva]
Valentina witnessed intense fighting, death and destruction when Ukrainian and Russian forces battled for control. She dreads another battle, which is on the doorstep. [Photo: Sami Siva]
Valentina returned to her apartment in March 2023. She likes to enjoy her tea, jams and other home-made delicacies in the company of her pet bird. She doesn’t know how long she can eat on her dinner table as one more displacement is on the horizon. [Photo: Sami Siva]
Lubov at her home in Saltiv village. Despite witnessing gory street battles between Russian and Ukrainian forces in 2022, she has decided to stay back in her village no matter how ugly the fighting becomes. [Photo: Sami Siva]
Interior of a home, with Soviet-era chandelier, which was destroyed during the early days of war in Feb/March 2022. The family continues to live in their home damaged in the war. They don’t have anywhere else to move to. [Photo: Sami Siva]
Galina at her home in Saltiv where she was born. During the initial days of full-scale invasion she moved to Kharkiv and returned home last summer. She lives alone and spends time taking care of the garden and tidying up the surroundings of her house. [Photo: Sami Siva]
Ludmilla sells fruits and preserves made from vegetables from her garden at the roadside stands in the village. She is one of the few residents who remained in the village since the full-scale invasion in 2022. [Photo: Sami Siva]
Igor, serving with Armed Forces of Ukraine in the frontlines, visits his mother Natalia at her home in the village. [Photo: Sami Siva]
Soldiers serving on the frontlines come for a rest after their routine deployment. [Photo: Sami Siva]
A young soldier calls home during the rest days after the deployment on the frontlines. [Photo: Sami Siva]
Elderly woman returns home after receiving a weekly bread supply sent from Kharkiv to help the local residents. [Photo: Sami Siva]
Locals gather to fetch bread loafs, which are sent from Kharkiv once a week to assist the residents of the village. [Photo: Sami Siva]
A mid-aged couple continue to live in their home, which was partially damaged in the war. They sealed up one of the broken walls with plastic sheets to keep the winter chill at bay. [Photo: Sami Siva]
Locals arrive at the town council office to fill out forms to receive financial aid for heating homes during the coming winter. [Photo: Sami Siva]
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