When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, it not only triggered the biggest military conflict in Europe since World War II but also brought devastation to towns and cities across the country. These photos were compiled by the Schemes investigative news project run by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service.
Before And After Satellite Photos Reveal Devastation In Ukraine After Russia's Invasion
- By RFE/RL
Before
After
1
Yakovlivka, a village in the Donetsk region near Soledar, was captured by Russia in December 2022. This satellite image highlights the destruction of its residential buildings and a big agricultural facility by shelling.
Before
After
2
Rubizhne, a town in the Luhansk region, was captured by Russian forces in May 2022 and is still under their control. These satellite images were taken in October 2020 and September 2022.
Before
After
3
Soledar, a salt-mining town in the Donetsk region about 20 kilometers northeast of Bakhmut, was captured by Russian forces in January 2023. Satellite images taken that month and in summer 2021 show the transformation from a vibrant town to a bombed-out landscape.
Before
After
4
Moshchun, a village north of Kyiv, became a major battlefield in the first weeks of the war. Of the 2,800 houses in the village, 2,000 have been reported as destroyed or seriously damaged. These satellite images are from 2019 and March 2022, when the village was cleared of Russian forces.
Before
After
5
In Mariupol, mass devastation by Russian air strikes and shelling made global headlines in 2022. The Ukrainian authorities say that up to 90 percent of the buildings in the city have been damaged or destroyed.
Before
After
6
Izyum in the Kharkiv region was retaken by the Ukrainian Army in September 2022. It is estimated that up to 80 percent of the buildings in Izyum have been damaged or destroyed.
Before
After
7
Pokrovske, a village in the Donetsk region, was occupied by Russian forces in summer 2022. The second satellite photo shows the widespread destruction of residential buildings and the only school in the village that was also hit.
Before
After
8
Popasna, in the Luhansk region, is currently occupied by Russian forces. The first satellite image was captured on October 16, 2021 with the second showing the destruction of the residential buildings as well as the shattered St. Nicholas Cathedral on October 10, 2022.
Before
After
9
Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region was captured by Russian troops in the first days of the invasion and retaken by Ukraine in September. It is still being shelled by Russian forces.
Before
After
10
Bakhmut has endured heavy fighting since July 2022. The satellite photo shows a residential neighborhood captured by Russia in December 2022. The town, in the Donetsk region, has been the scene of some of the bloodiest fighting of the war.
