All articles More Opinion Photo essence of Putin’s “Russian world” in the Donbas

Photo essence of Putin’s “Russian world” in the Donbas

13/09/2016

3 minute read

Only goats are grazing weeds where rows of shiny new cars stood at the formerly-successful and now-robbed and abandoned Volkswagen dealership in Russian-occupied Luhansk, Ukraine. September 2016 (Image: Denys Kazansky, deniskazansky.com.ua)

Photo essence of Putin’s “Russian world” in the Donbas

This is [Russian-occupied] Luhansk today. Goats graze weeds growing from cracks in the pavement near the robbed and abandoned Volkswagen dealership. The entire city is represented in one photo. I'd say - the entire "LDNR." They say they "freed the people from fascists." Thanks, but no thanks, damn you.

Only goats are grazing weeds at the robbed and abandoned Volkswagen dealership in Russian-occupied Luhansk, Ukraine. September 2016 (Image: Denys Kazansky, deniskazansky.com.ua) — Image: Denys Kazansky, deniskazansky.com.ua

These photographs need to be put up on roadside billboards around Kharkiv, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia and other cities of the South-east. [The Ukrainian cities where the 2014 Russian special operation failed to hijack control from the interim Ukrainian government after former president Yanukovych's escape to Russia. -- Ed.]

So that every day people there were reminded what kind of fate they escaped and what kind of [Putin's] "Novorossiya" they avoided in 2014. The photo could be named: "Thank you, Russia." In three years there will be absolutely Abkhazian "landscapes." Or might be even more surreal. [See what became of Abkhazia after joining Putin's "Russian world" in the photo gallery below -- Ed.]

Abkhazia: A ruined college in Gali, near the ‘border’ with Georgia, where ethnic Georgians made up 96% of the region’s pre-war population. Today Gali is a twilight zone of empty buildings and overgrown farmland. (Image: Amos Chapple, theguardian.com) — Abkhazia: A ruined college in Gali, near the ‘border’ with Georgia, where ethnic Georgians made up 96% of the region’s pre-war population. Gali has become a twilight zone of empty buildings and overgrown farmland. 2014 (Image: Amos Chapple, theguardian.com)

Abkhazia: Outside of the train station in the capital city, Sukhumi, 2015 (Image: Aleksandr Valov, blogsochi.ru)

Abkhazia: Only three trains go to Abkhazia's capitol Sukhumi (Image: Aleksandr Valov, blogsochi.ru) — Abkhazia: Only three trains go to Abkhazia’s capitol Sukhumi, what formerly was a bustling resort city. June 2015 (Image: Aleksandr Valov, blogsochi.ru)

Abkhazia: Inside the train station in the capital city, Sukhumi, 2015 (Image: Aleksandr Valov, blogsochi.ru)

Abkhazia: A bridge in the capital city, Sukhumi, 2015 (Image: Aleksandr Valov, blogsochi.ru)

Abkhazia: Buildings of the capital city, Sukhumi, 2015 (Image: Aleksandr Valov, blogsochi.ru)

Abkhazia: Streets of the capital city, Sukhumi, 2015 (Image: Aleksandr Valov, blogsochi.ru)

Abkhazia: The abandoned Abkhaz Parliament Building (Image: Aleksandr Valov, blogsochi.ru)

Abkhazia: Outside of the Abkhaz Parliament Building (Image: Aleksandr Valov, blogsochi.ru)

Abkhazia: Inside the Abkhaz Parliament Building (Image: Aleksandr Valov, blogsochi.ru)

Abkhazia: Outside of the train station in Novyi Afon (Image: Aleksandr Valov, blogsochi.ru)

Abkhazia: Inside of the train station in Novyi Afon (Image: Aleksandr Valov, blogsochi.ru)

Abkhazia: Mansions of local elite stand next to deteriorating properties of common people (Image: Aleksandr Valov, blogsochi.ru)

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here

You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter

We are an independent media outlet that relies solely on advertising revenue to sustain itself. We do not endorse or promote any products or services for financial gain. Therefore, we kindly ask for your support by disabling your ad blocker. Your assistance helps us continue providing quality content. Thank you!

Photo essence of Putin’s “Russian world” in the Donbas

Related:

Related Posts

How to stop Russian aggression in post-Soviet states? | 30 Years of Freedom, p.4

Policy shift shows Russia preparing to recognize its puppet republics in Donbas

North Caucasus republics could flourish on their own, Israeli political analyst says

Former Soviet republics must and will become Russia’s ‘protectorates,’ Moscow blogger says