In Seversk, a large Ukrainian city close to the new front line in the country’s east, a sense of abandonment has overtaken residents who “try to survive”, in cellars at night and during the day in search of water, food. In, help and medicine.

“Everyone is suffering. We are trying to survive,” says 64-year-old Nina, who is pushing her bicycle. “There’s no (running) water, no gas, no electricity. We’ve been living under bombs for three months, this is the Stone Age,” she says.

A mobile truck delivers Polish goods and food, breads, sausages, camping gas refills. As the long thunder of Grad rockets is heard, residents gather around the vehicle.

This small town in Donbass, eastern Ukraine, looks like a village with one-story houses planted along dusty streets.

Ukrainian military vehicles come and go throughout the day. Also tanks, aid trucks and ambulances. Ukrainian troops are now fighting in Lisichansk, on the opposite bank of the Donets River.

In Seversk, residents still feel abandoned by Kyiv, including many retirees. “The city is completely dead and we would like to live a little longer,” complains Marina, 63, a retired employee. “They’re just killing us, it’s dangerous everywhere”, and “no one needs us, no help from the government, Ukraine has forgotten us”.

“We don’t live, we live,” laments Polina, another woman, 60.