Vadym Liakh, Head of the Sloviansk City Military Administration

Sloviansk, one of the oldest cities in Donetsk Oblast, dates its history back to the 17th century; 1645 is regarded as its founding year. It is also among Ukraine’s oldest balneological resorts, thanks to the unique Torske salt lakes located within the city. Since April 2011, Sloviansk has held the status of a resort of national importance.

In 2014, Sloviansk became the first Ukrainian city seized by Russian-backed sabotage groups on April 12, during the war in eastern Ukraine. Less than three months later, on the night of July 5, Ukrainian forces liberated the city, driving out the occupying forces.

Following the launch of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Russian troops attempted to advance on Sloviansk but failed, as Ukrainian forces held their ground. Today, however, the military situation has markedly deteriorated, with Russian forces aiming to capture Donetsk Oblast in its entirety.

In a conversation with Ukrinform, Vadym Liakh, head of the Sloviansk City Military Administration, outlined how the community is living under current conditions, the challenges it faces, the losses inflicted by Russian aggression, and the priorities local authorities are setting for civilians.

DESPITE SHELLING, INFRASTRUCTURE HOLDS AND SERVICES CONTINUE

Vadym Liakh: The Sloviansk territorial community comprises the city itself, three nearby settlements, and one village. Its current population stands at around 47,000, down from 110,000 before the full-scale invasion. The city comes under enemy shelling daily—at times multiple times a day—with various types of weapons.

More than 50% of apartment buildings have been damaged, along with over 10% of private homes. A quarter of critical infrastructure facilities—including hospitals, kindergartens, and educational institutions—have also been affected to varying degrees, with some destroyed to ruins.

Olena Kolhusheva: How are residents coping under such conditions?

VL: Despite the severity of the situation, all essential infrastructure remains operational, and services continue to be provided. Electricity, gas, and water supply systems are functioning. Heating, maintained throughout the season, ended a month ago. We have also equipped critical energy infrastructure with high-capacity generators.

After each attack, damaged facilities are repaired on an ongoing basis. Electrical crews operate not only within the city but also in areas close to the front line. Utility workers continue their work under extremely challenging conditions. Key water supply infrastructure is now located just five to seven kilometers from the line of contact.

In the aftermath of strikes, municipal teams help residents restore and secure their homes. When windows are shattered by blasts, they are temporarily boarded up with OSB (oriented strand board) panels until homeowners receive compensation and can carry out proper repairs.

Materials are procured both from the local budget and with the support of international charitable foundations, as well as from reserves of the Donetsk Regional Administration. The most common issue residents bring to the city administration concerns housing damaged or destroyed by shelling.

UNDER THE eVIDNOVLENNIA PROGRAM, 5,209 CLAIMS FOR DAMAGED PROPERTY HAVE BEEN FILED

 How is the state eVidnovlennia program operating in your community?

OK: It is functioning effectively. Residents are actively applying for compensation, and dedicated commissions work daily to help them access government funding.

VL: As of April 24, a total of 5,209 applications for damaged property had been submitted under the program within the Sloviansk territorial community. Inspections and assessment reports have been completed for 4,850 properties, and compensation has been approved for 3,860 claims, totaling UAH 350,596,281.60.

Additionally, 375 applications concerning destroyed housing have been received from the central register. So far, 153 housing certificates have been issued, with a combined value of UAH 203,700,505.72. Recipients are using these funds to meet urgent needs, including purchasing new homes.

OK: What is the situation with medical and social services in the community?

VL: Hospitals remain operational, including the maternity hospital, which is currently the only one functioning in the oblast. As with the rest of the city, it is equipped with backup power.

All pre-war social services continue to be delivered on schedule—to pensioners, single mothers, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups. Payments are being made in full. The Administrative Services Center is also operating, providing access to a full range of services, including passport issuance and document renewal. At present, all systems are functioning, though the future remains uncertain.

Staffing levels, however, remain insufficient. There is a clear shortage of personnel, although the number of residents requiring services has also declined.

All major banks, including PrivatBank and Oschadbank, remain operational: branches are open, ATMs are functioning, and retail outlets are equipped with payment terminals. The number of shops and points of sale is sufficient, and food supplies are stable.

OK: How are communications functioning in the community?

VL: Connectivity is maintained. Mobile operators are backed by high-capacity generators, ensuring uninterrupted service. The community has access to internet, television, and radio broadcasting. Both Nova Poshta and Ukrposhta continue to operate.

OK: What is the situation with passenger transport? Have there been any changes?

VL: In March, Sloviansk dismantled its trolleybus contact network to enable the installation of anti-drone netting over key highways. The trolleybuses and associated infrastructure have been evacuated to preserve this costly equipment. Services will resume once conditions allow, as was the case in 2022.

Currently, only bus transport is operating on city routes. Free services are provided for socially vulnerable groups. Since April 27, passenger transport has been suspended to one neighborhood where mandatory evacuation has been introduced.

ZOO ANIMALS ALSO FORCED TO BECOME INTERNALLY DISPLACED

OK: I heard the zoo was evacuated as well?

VL: Unfortunately, yes. The animals have also been forced to relocate. During a working visit to Poltava, arrangements were made to transfer them to an eco-park in the village of Kovalivka, Poltava Oblast. This large facility has already taken in animals from Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Kherson regions.

The evacuation was successful. I am confident the animals will be well cared for until they can return home. Residents of the Sloviansk community currently in Poltava Oblast are encouraged to visit the eco-park and support them—like people, they too have been displaced.

EVACUATION SAVES LIVES

OK: Residents are leaving for safer regions. How is this process unfolding?

VL: Evacuation is ongoing and has continued since the first day of the war. Currently, up to 1,000 residents with children leave the Sloviansk community each week.

In certain areas, mandatory evacuation of children has been introduced, carried out together with their parents or legal guardians. Recently, there were 96 children remained in these zones; that number has now dropped to 29. The affected areas include three districts located along the Kyiv–Dovzhanskyi highway.

We strongly urge residents to evacuate, because it saves lives. In 2022, following the start of the full-scale invasion, roughly 15,000 people remained in the city and about 18,000 across the wider community. That lower population density proved critical: although the shelling was intense, fewer people were in homes and apartment buildings, which helped limit casualties.

OK: Is there data on civilian casualties since the start of the full-scale war?

VL: Regrettably, there have been civilian losses. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, 81 people have been killed, including four children, and 402 have been injured, among them children.

In April alone, 22 civilians were injured and one person was killed.

UP TO 200 WELLS IN THE COMMUNITY—AND THE NUMBER IS GROWING

OK: What kind of assistance does the Sloviansk community need now?

VL: We address emerging challenges through a combination of support from charitable foundations, government-funded programs, the regional administration, and our own budgetary resources.

That said, needs are constant and often seasonal. During the heating season, for instance, generators were critical—we focused heavily on securing them and received the necessary support. Our current priority is establishing alternative water supply. In other words, we are steadily addressing all emerging issues as they arise.

We are actively drilling wells, with the number increasing week by week. This is a precautionary measure: our primary water infrastructure is located along the Siverskyi Donets River, which is currently under shelling, and there is a real risk of disruption. If that happens, we will switch to well-based supply, as we did in 2022, when the community endured three months without centralized water supply but managed to cope. At present, we have up to 200 wells—these are only the ones installed by the authorities; many residents also have private wells.

Police units, State Emergency Service teams, and local authorities continue to operate in the community on a daily basis.

For four years now, we have been hoping the war will end. Each year brings that hope—but the war goes on. So we keep working toward our victory, every day, each in our own place.

Olena Kolhusheva

Photos courtesy of the Sloviansk City Military Administration and via Vadym Liakh’s Facebook page