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Nikopol is a city where alarms are constantly howling, preparing for an explosion at the ZNPP and waiting for clean water from volunteers. Photo report about those who stays there

Editor:: Yuliana Skibitska

Date:: 21:47, 10 july 2023

Nikopol is a city where alarms are constantly howling, preparing for an explosion at the ZNPP and waiting for clean water from volunteers. Photo report about those who stays there — The woman in the photo is named Larisa, Russian artillery destroyed her yard. At that moment Larisa was in the kitchen with her son. Both were lucky — they were not hurt. The flight destroyed the facade of the house and broke the windows.

Нікопольска медіагрупа ПРИХИСТ / «Бабель»

Nikopol is always red on the aerial warning map — the threat of artillery fire does not disappear there. It is five kilometers to the territories occupied by Russia, and eleven to the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power station. Nikopol is located on the right bank of the Dnieper, between Zaporizhzhia and Kryvyi Rih, opposite the occupied Energodar, so it is convenient for the Russians to shell it. After the explosion of the Kakhovskaya HPP, water problems began in the city. Yevhen Yevtushenko, the head of the Nikopol district military administration, said that about half of the residents left the city. At the request of "Babel", photographers from the Nikopol media group "PRYHIST" showed how those who remained live in the city.

At the end of June, an explosion drill was conducted at the ZNPP in Nikopol. The city is located opposite it, on the other bank of the Dnieper.

Сергій Лисак / Дніпропетровська ОДА (ОВА) / Telegram / «Бабель»

A family with a child lived in this house. The shelling destroyed it, the family left, but left behind many personal belongings. Childrenʼs drawings still hang on the walls, and there is also a picture of Spider-Man. Utility workers are trying to restore the house — all things, including toys, have been packed in bags.

Нікопольска медіагрупа ПРИХИСТ / «Бабель»

The man in the photo is named Vasyl, he is 95 years old. He is standing in front of his house — it was destroyed by the Russians. The flight destroyed most of the wall and shattered the windows. Vasylʼs wife has a disability, so she does not get out of bed.

This childrenʼs library was a popular place before the full-scale war. Last August, two hits destroyed the ceiling and wall. The library is currently closed.

After the explosion of the Kakhovskaya HPP, water problems began in the city. The photo shows the water dispensers in the modular settlement for displaced people. Water was brought from Kropyvnytskyi and other cities of Ukraine. Townspeople stood in queues for hours.

And this is a dog shelter, which could close after the explosion of the Kakhovskaya HPP, because there was nothing for the dogs to eat. The owner of the shelter turned to the townspeople via Facebook and asked for help. Volunteers bring water for dogs from all over Ukraine.

Before the war, the townspeople liked to rest on the beaches on the Dnieper, beyond Nikopol. After the detonation of the hydroelectric power station, the river became shallow.