Inside a Ukraine airport destroyed by a year of war
Ukrainian POWs in the separatist stronghold of Donetsk began a task Wednesday that strained their hearts as well as their muscles: digging through the rubble to retrieve the bodies of fellow soldiers killed last month in the bitter battle for the city’s airport.
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES
- A heavily damaged hotel is seen near the Donetsk airport on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- The heavily damaged Donetsk airport is seen on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- Destroyed cars are seen near the Donetsk airport on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- Used munition boxes sit scattered throughout the Donetsk airport property on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- Used munition boxes sit scattered throughout the Donetsk airport property on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- Destroyed commercial airplanes sit scattered at the Donetsk airport on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- A heavily damaged hotel is seen near the Donetsk airport on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- A roadsign sits partially damaged near the Donetsk airport on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- A heavily damaged hotel is seen near the Donetsk airport on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- Airplane noses sit partially damaged near the Donetsk airport on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- Destroyed cars are seen near the Donetsk airport on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- A building sits partially damaged near the Donetsk airport on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- Destroyed commercial airplanes sit scattered at the Donetsk airport on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- A partially damaged car sits parked in the Donetsk airport parking lot on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- This photo shows a pierced by shrapnel road sign near the destroyed airport in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, on February 26, 2015. Ukraine’s military said Thursday it was starting the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the frontline with pro-Russian rebels, a key step in a stuttering peace plan. The start of the withdrawal by Kiev comes after a shaky truce that was meant to come into force February 15 finally took hold across the Ukraine conflict zone in recent days. (Vasily Maximov/AFP/Getty Images)
- This photo shows a destroyed airport administrative building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, on February 26, 2015. Ukraine’s military said Thursday it was starting the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the frontline with pro-Russian rebels, a key step in a stuttering peace plan. The start of the withdrawal by Kiev comes after a shaky truce that was meant to come into force February 15 finally took hold across the Ukraine conflict zone in recent days. (Vasily Maximov/AFP/Getty Images)
- This photo shows a destroyed church near the airport in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, on February 26, 2015. Ukraine’s military said Thursday it was starting the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the frontline with pro-Russian rebels, a key step in a stuttering peace plan. The start of the withdrawal by Kiev comes after a shaky truce that was meant to come into force February 15 finally took hold across the Ukraine conflict zone in recent days. (Vasily Maximov/AFP/Getty Images)
- An armed fighter of self-proclamed People’s Republic of Donetsk walks past a damaged airplane in the destroyed airport of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, on February 26, 2015. Ukraine’s military said Thursday it was starting the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the frontline with pro-Russian rebels, a key step in a stuttering peace plan. The start of the withdrawal by Kiev comes after a shaky truce that was meant to come into force February 15 finally took hold across the Ukraine conflict zone in recent days. (Vasily Maximov/AFP/Getty Images)
- This photo shows a destroyed airport building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, on February 26, 2015. Ukraine’s military said Thursday it was starting the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the frontline with pro-Russian rebels, a key step in a stuttering peace plan. The start of the withdrawal by Kiev comes after a shaky truce that was meant to come into force February 15 finally took hold across the Ukraine conflict zone in recent days. (Vasily Maximov/AFP/Getty Images)
- A pro-Russian rebel walks amongst the wreckage of the destroyed Donetsk airport on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- A sports bar sits amongst the wreckage of the destroyed Donetsk airport on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- A dead Ukrainian soldier lies amongst the wreckage of the destroyed Donetsk airport after being recovered by Ukrainian soldier prisoners-of-war who were forced to search through the wreckage by pro-Russian rebels on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- A dead Ukrainian soldier lies amongst the wreckage of the destroyed Donetsk airport after being recovered by Ukrainian soldier prisoners-of-war who were forced to search through the wreckage by pro-Russian rebels on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- A pro-Russian rebel stands guard while Ukrainian soldier prisoners-of-war are forced to search through the wreckage of the destroyed Donetsk airport for weaponry and dead bodies on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- A pro-Russian rebel stands guard while Ukrainian soldier prisoners-of-war are forced to search through the wreckage of the destroyed Donetsk airport for weaponry and dead bodies on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- A dead Ukrainian soldier lies amongst the wreckage of the destroyed Donetsk airport after being recovered by Ukrainian soldier prisoners-of-war who were forced to search through the wreckage by pro-Russian rebels on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- Ukrainian soldier prisoners-of-war are forced by pro-Russian rebels to search through the wreckage of the destroyed Donetsk airport for weaponry and dead bodies on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- A pro-Russian rebel stands guard while Ukrainian soldier prisoners-of-war are forced to search through the wreckage of the destroyed Donetsk airport for weaponry and dead bodies on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
- Ukrainian soldier prisoners-of-war are lined up before being forced by pro-Russian rebels to search through the wreckage of the destroyed Donetsk airport for weaponry and dead bodies on February 26, 2015 in Donetsk, Ukraine. The Donetsk airport has been one of the most heavily fought over pieces of land between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
Associated Press journalists saw at least four bodies being carried out of the once-glittering, now-obliterated Donetsk airport terminal. A Ukrainian official said seven in all were retrieved. Rebel representatives said many more soldiers were still buried under the collapsed building, but provided no figures.
One captive soldier saw two friends being pulled out of the rubble, as the facility’s twisted steel beams and smashed cement walls were being sawn into pieces and towed away.
“I recognized them from their clothing. They were my friends,” said the man, a member of the Ukrainian army’s 90th brigade who identified himself only as Sasha.
The bodies themselves were contorted by rigor mortis after being left outside for weeks in the frigid winter. Work was briefly interrupted by the sounds of gunfire in the distance, then resumed.
“These guys were fighting here. I don’t know what for. They were following the orders of their president, and they respected that order,” said rebel commander Mikhail Tolstykh, known widely by nom de guerre Givi. “We all are military men here and we have to respect our enemy.” – Associated Press