The lakeside city of Uman, once a quiet tourist destination, has become a theatre of war. Residents describe a campaign of systematic violence. ‘They shot my neighbour in the head,’ one survivor told me.
The streets are empty now, save for the occasional armoured vehicle. The local hospital, overwhelmed, reports hundreds of civilian casualties. Medical supplies are exhausted.
The United Nations has called for an immediate ceasefire, but fighting continues around the strategic port. Britain, through its international aid budget, has pledged £50 million in humanitarian assistance. But officials admit it may not be enough.
The Foreign Office is coordinating with NGOs to establish a safe corridor for evacuations. The trauma here is deep and lasting. Psychologists warn of a generation scarred by war.
For now, the immediate needs are food, water, and shelter. The city’s residents wait, hoping for a peace that seems distant.
