Reflecting on a busy day in London, I decided to check satellite images of my childhood village, Verkhnya Krynytsya, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Upon looking, I noticed a new road leading to my old home, first appearing in the summer of 2022 shortly after the region was occupied by Russian forces. This conclusion led me to believe that my family home is now occupied by soldiers amid the ongoing war.

Verkhnya Krynytsya, once a peaceful village, has been transformed into a frontline battleground, with fears and dangers lurking around every corner. The destruction of the Kakhovka dam earlier this year further exacerbated the situation, leading to devastating floods and displacing many villagers.

As I dug deeper into the current state of my childhood home, I discovered that many locals had fled while remaining residents are gripped with fear of retribution from occupying forces.

Simplistically, the now-occupied landscape of my childhood evokes nostalgia and grief, highlighting the pervasive impacts of war on homes and lives. As I spoke to military personnel concerning the path leading to my old house, they confirmed that it was indeed likely being used by Russian soldiers, marking a poignant end to my childhood memories.

Additional reporting by Richard Irvine-Brown