We have 1400 explosions per month. But the newspaper is still coming out.

Do you see the window behind me? From this window, it’s just 7 kilometers to the Russian border. Moments ago, we experienced an artillery strike from Russia, and we heard it loud and clear here.” With these words, Natalia Kalinichenko, the editor-in-chief of the local newspaper and online publication in Bilopillya, Sumy region, which borders the Russian Federation, begins our conversation.

We are speaking with Natalia via video call. She currently has no electricity at home because, in recent months, Russian forces have been targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, especially in border regions. However, her internet connection is still working.

During artillery attacks, shells from Russia hit Bilopillya within seconds. “Just now, it took 12 seconds. We heard the sound of the launch from Russian territory, counted to 12, and then heard the explosion somewhere near us.”

The day before our conversation, Natalia celebrated the first birthday of her granddaughter, born during the war. The family gathered at a café in Sumy, the regional center located 40 kilometers from the Russian border. “As we were leaving the café with the baby, a missile flew overhead,” Natalia recounts.

“Despite everything, we live here, work here, and have one motto: the Russians will never see us give up,” she emphasizes.

Bilopillya Endures Bombings Yet Welcomes Refugees

During the war, Russian forces have damaged or destroyed numerous civilian objects in Bilopillya: six schools, a hospital, a children’s creativity center, a police department, many agricultural enterprises, and even the Pension Fund office. Hundreds of residential homes have also been affected.

Before the full-scale invasion, the city had a population of around 16,000. Now, approximately 10,000 residents remain, many of whom are evacuees from villages closer to the border where the situation is even more critical. Several villages have been completely destroyed.

Despite the bombardment, Bilopillya provides shelter and support to those in greater need. The city maintains functioning infrastructure, including a railway station, bus terminal, hospital, police, and emergency services. “For people, it’s crucial that ‘Nova Poshta’ [a parcel delivery service] continues to operate because it connects them to the outside world,” Natalia shares.

The city council continues to work, holding meetings in bomb shelters several times a month. Natalia, a city council member, says, “We find housing for refugees, allocate funds to equip hostels and shelters, and support defense efforts. All deputies are here. Not a single one has left. Everyone does their part.”

With funds from the local budget and charitable organizations, they have repaired several damaged facilities, including two schools and the hospital.

“A 500-kilogram guided bomb exploded near the hospital. People received a warning and managed to run to shelter within two minutes. A friend told me, ‘We were running down the corridor, and glass from the windows shattered behind us.’ Thankfully, no one died. We’ve since restored the hospital, and it’s operating again,”

Natalia explains.

Russians destroyed a school and claimed it was a NATO base

In recent months, Russia has repeatedly attacked border towns with guided aerial bombs, known as KABs. Natalia explains that Bilopillya was one of the first to experience the devastating impact of these weapons. On the night of March 24, 2023, the city was bombarded with six KABs, which caused extensive destruction and killed two civilians.

Before the war, residents of the nearby Russian village of Tyotkino often visited Bilopillya for shopping, haircuts, and medical services. “We follow their chats, and they follow ours. It’s heartbreaking to read their posts because we know many of them personally. They seem brainwashed. There’s no hope of reaching them—they only want to kill. Their propaganda has disconnected them from reality. When they destroyed our oldest school, they claimed it was a NATO base. In truth, it was an elementary school where a security guard died,” Natalia says emotionally.

“Our Mission Is to Share the Truth”

The Bilopillya Gazette, led by Natalia Kalinichenko, has been publishing for 104 years. Despite immense challenges, it continues to release print editions.

“We had 1,400 shellings in a month, but the newspaper still comes out, and our journalists keep working,”

Natalia states.

The newspaper serves as the only official print publication across four local communities, providing verified information and countering disinformation. Natalia underscores, “Every word and photograph is meticulously checked. Most importantly, our newspaper documents Russian crimes as registered evidence.”

Natalia also contributes to the global initiative “Tribunal for Putin,” which collects evidence of Russian war crimes.

“If we’re here, Ukraine is here. Our mission is to document and preserve everything, to share the truth with the world,”

she asserts.

When asked about her sources of resilience, Natalia simply replies, “The certainty that this is our land.”

She recounts a story of resilience: the destroyed school and gym in the nearby village of Viri, where Ukrainian biathlete and European silver medalist Anton Dudchenko once trained. Despite the war, his family repurposed a relative’s house into a gym, allowing children to continue training and competing nationally.

“Despite everything,” Natalia concludes, “life goes on.”