Shchastya means "happiness" in Ukrainian, but in recent days the town has been one of the saddest places on Earth, and it is poised to get a whole lot worse
A child plays with pigeons as residents charged their phones off public solar panels in Shchastya, eastern Ukraine, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. Shchastya’s largely Russian-speaking and supporting population, its proximity to the front, and the presence of a strategic coal plant lead some analysts to suggest that it may become the stepping off point for a Russian invasion. (Lynsey Addario/The New York Times)
SHCHASTYA, Ukraine — A drunk sat on a bench, swaying. A few older women, bundled against a biting wind, scurried from a grocery store, clutching plastic bags. Otherwise, the streets of Shchastya were deserted, while the thud of mortar and artillery fire reverberated through town.
Shchastya means “happiness” in Ukrainian, but in recent days the town has been one of the saddest places on earth, and it is poised to get a whole lot worse.
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