Eastern Ukraine - No man’s land

Ukrainian volunteer battalions were recently given the order to withdraw from the village of Shyrokyne to be replaced by Ukrainian Marines. The surrounding area of Shyrokyne overlooks Mariupol which in turn controls the land corridor between Russia and the Crimea. The village was once a popular children camp resort. A sign reads: "The path to creativity, joy and happiness."

Last month pro-Russian separatists’ declared a unilateral demilitarization of the Shyrokyne area. The standoff between Ukrainian and separatist forces lasted for almost five months. It was one of the longest and most tense hot spots in the Ukrainian conflict.

The pro-Russian separatists’ withdrawal from the area was presented as an act of goodwill in order to further implement the Minsk II agreement. However, according to the Ukrainian volunteer battalions it was the 800 casualties suffered by separatist forces over the past few months that resulted in their withdrawal.

Despite the Minsk II ceasefire Shyrokyne witnessed some of the worst fighting in the region. A notorious frontline hotspot, heavy weapons banned by the Minsk agreement were used during the standoff, according to Ukrainian volunteer units. A soldier stands in a 6ft deep shell crater.

The Ukrainian volunteer battalions believe Kyiv’s withdrawal is connected with the demilitarization of Shyrokyne. It is one of the steps taken by the Tripartite Contact Group to establish a 30-kilometer buffer zone. Both sides would be required to withdraw weapons under 100 mm caliber. A canteen sign says: "Bon appétit."

The Ukrainian volunteer commanders have raised concerns of the danger should pro-Russian separatists take over control of the higher ground near Shyrokyne. They fear the city of Mariupol would be exposed to artillery attacks and would be used as a springboard to a southern flank attack on the strategically key port.

The difficulty in defending Shyrokyne is that the village lies in a valley with Ukrainian forces occupying the surrounding hills. After months of house-to-house fighting, the village has become a ghost town. According to the OSCE, no civilians live in Shyrokyne and over 80 percent of the houses have been damaged or destroyed.

Though heavy weapons are now silent the odd sniper fire can be still heard. Ukrainian soldiers observe the village from a safe distance. They claim unmarked snipers still roam the area.

The shelling and mortar exchanges resulted in the village suffering extensive damage during the recent fighting. With shattered windows and smashed doors most personal possessions have been looted according to locals now living in Mariupol.

Along one of the main streets, satellite dishes protrude from the burnt and damaged houses. Once an affluent coastal town it has been now reduced to a shadow of its former self.