Luke SHRAGO ,|Taline OUNDJIAN , Achraf ABID
Donbas’s Sloviansk has been out of water for a month after the facilities needed to keep it running were damaged in the war. Since then, the city’s firefighters have been bringing water to Sloviansk’s dwindling and beleaguered population, in an already dangerous environment. Sloviank’s water pumping and filtration plant to the east of the city was cut off in fighting, making repairs impossible. The Sloviank authorities make sure the firefighters know what’s needed and where. Queues gather every day, but impatience is growing after a month in this situation. “Tell the mayor we need two trucks for each building,” said one resident. “It’s not enough; I have to come so far every day to get water.” Russian forces may be on their way: After the fall of Lysychansk just over 70km east, Sloviansk lies directly in their path as the Russian offensive in the Donbas grinds on.
