On the morning of Aug. 4, two Russian guided bombs, each weighing more than 1,000 pounds, struck the residential block where the author grew up in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine. The attack shattered windows, cracked tiles, and tore frames from walls, leaving the childhood home damaged but intact. Russian forces have been advancing on Kramatorsk slowly but steadily, and the author long knew their home would eventually face the fight.

As a journalist, they have covered the destruction of Sievierodonetsk, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Pokrovsk, and Kostiantynivka. Now, it is Kramatorsk’s turn. The city, once filled with parks, markets, and childhood memories, has become a battlefield.

After the full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the author’s parents fled to Norway as refugees. The author returned to report on Russian advances, finding the city changed but still carrying on. Kramatorsk became a rear base for journalists and humanitarian aid, but the war’s slow death continues.