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Winter charm masks wartime realities in Yelets
Golden church domes and frozen rivers paint a picturesque scene in Yelets, a town 350 km south of Moscow. Yet recruitment posters and military murals reveal the lasting impact of Russia's prolonged conflict in Ukraine.
Recruitment drives and local losses
Army billboards along the riverbank offer £15,000 signing bonuses for volunteers to fight in Ukraine. Nearby, a mural on a nine-storey apartment block honors five local soldiers killed in the war, topped with the slogan: "Glory to the heroes of Russia!"
Official casualty figures remain undisclosed, but Irina, a bus station ticket collector, shares the personal cost: "My friend's husband was killed. My cousin's son and grandson, too. Many have died." Despite financial struggles-soaring utility bills and rising prices-she assembles aid packages for troops. "I don't know what we're fighting for now," she admits.
War's shadow stretches home
Though 250 km from the Ukrainian border, Lipetsk region faces drone strikes. Emergency shelters now dot Yelets, including at bus stops and in apartment basements. "Sirens sound almost nightly," Irina says. "We shelter in windowless corridors."
Symbols of the war permeate daily life. A local pancake café's sign features the Latin letters "V" and "Z," with the tagline: "Grab a pancake, then the whole world." The rhetoric mirrors President Putin's claims, including his 2025 declaration: "Where a Russian soldier steps, that's ours."
Economic strain and public sentiment
Russia's budget deficit and stagnant economy have led to a VAT hike from 20% to 22%, with revenues earmarked for "defence and security." State TV frames the war as a necessity: "We can't win without a war budget," anchor Dmitry Kiselev told viewers.
Small businesses bear the brunt. Anastasiya Bykova, a bakery owner, cites rising costs: "Utilities, rent, taxes-everything's gone up. If we close, what's left?" An hour away in Lipetsk, pensioner Ivan Pavlovich vents about a leaking pipe and broken lift. "Prices keep rising faster than pensions," he says. Though he supports the war, he adds: "We'd live better without it."
Resignation and uncertainty
As the war enters its fifth year, optimism is scarce. "Life is harder," Irina says. "But what can we do?" Many Russians, like Ivan, voice support for the war while grappling with its economic fallout. The conflict's human and financial toll lingers, even in towns far from the front lines.
