Being mayor ten kilometers from the war: "I'm staying, they are my people"

Bilopillia (Ukraine)Yuriy Zarko, mayor of Bilopíl·lia, works about twelve hours a day. Whether delivering supplies to a retired woman, in a meeting about the Russian mines scattered around the area or visiting a courtyard where a projectile has fallen, this public servant, always accompanied by his drone detector, walks the streets of his hometown, which before the war had about sixteen thousand inhabitants. "Now there must be about six thousand, but we don't know; before the conflict I managed about twenty square kilometers of land, but now, due to the reorganization of the front, my responsibility has extended to 500. Many community leaders have left, but I have decided to stay, they are my people and I am the head of the council," he says with a vital and bitter smile.

The center of Bilopillia, empty and full of ruined buildings and burnt-out cars, is located just under ten kilometers from Russia, in the border region of Sumy. From its elevated position, one can observe the other side of the border where the Russian contingent is located, behind a grove of trees, where columns of smoke sometimes rise, announcing the fighting. At this short distance, small Russian FPV drones reach the municipality with a good degree of effectiveness.At this short distance, small Russian FPV drones reach the municipality. "In this area, Rubicon is now operating, which is an elite unit of Russian drone operators; they train here, blowing up cars or vehicles of the armed forces," says a Brazilian soldier who has been fighting for three years.

, in the south of the country, have reached many parts of Ukraine, especially the border villages.

The "human safaris", as these hunts of the population of Kherson have been nicknamed, in the south of the country, have reached many parts of Ukraine, especially the border villages.

The decision not to leave

Despite this danger, hundreds of people do not want to leave. "Now that spring is coming, neighbors will return to their homes; think that many of them have a garden and land to cultivate, and this is almost sacred to Ukrainians, besides not wanting to leave the graves of their ancestors neglected. They have this logic: here I was born and here I will die," explains the local politician. These refugees arrive in the city of Sumi to take shelter, but there housing prices are high and the scarce aid causes many to return to the dividing line. Living in an apartment in the capital is also dangerous, because in case of bombing they have nowhere to hide or do not receive information: "Here most live in residences in a basement and communication on messaging apps is instant".

The pace of the Bilopil·lia City Council is frenetic. Its workers, between coffees and cigarettes, meet outside to discuss the daily situation and be on the lookout for the sound of an approaching winged danger. And it is always three acronyms that come up in conversation: FPV, KAB, or DRG. KABs are aerial bombs that Russia uses to attack the front or nearby buildings. And they have a large arsenal of these inherited from the Soviet Union. Whether it's 250 kilograms, 500, or more, its echo is part of Bilopil·lia's usual soundscape. Another more silent and lethal threat are the DRGs, Russian sabotage and reconnaissance units. They are soldiers in civilian or uniform who cross Ukrainian lines to perpetrate assassinations or obtain information. Taking advantage of the density of the forests, they penetrate these populations and commit sabotage or place explosive traps. "I know all the faces of my neighbors, but with our army personnel it's different because they are in various units".

Locals living in the villages sign a document in which they inform that they are aware of the dangers they may face, such as being mistaken for an enemy infiltrator or other hardships. "They assume this risk. The other day a fifty-year-old man died from an attack. He was a young man; perhaps he preferred to live in his house and die than go to the city of Sumi and be afraid of being mobilized by the army," says Yuriy.

In the mayor's office, a Ukrainian and a European flag are displayed. Zarko declares that he feels absolutely European, that they want to be a democratic society even though the European Union is not perfect. "Look, this enclave has a thousand years of history; we were historically a fortress against Tatar and Mongolian invasions. Now, centuries later, we are becoming the same thing: a wall, but one of containment to Russia".