Ukraine: The Occupied and Recaptured Tale of Kupyansk - USA News

The town of Kupyansk stood as an early casualty to the Russian invaders' advance in Ukraine. After six months, Ukraine managed to reclaim the town, now shrouded in ruins and haunted by moral dilemmas. Amongst the ruins, residents grapple with a haunting inquiry into their roles in the turmoil.

When the Russian military swept into Kupyansk, the surrender was bloodless. Yielding to the advancing Russian forces, the town's 30,000-strong population saw their mayor capitulate without a shot fired. However, not all inhabitants accepted this cooperation. A courageous local leader rallied dissent and orchestrated protests beneath the Ukrainian banner. Russia responded with brutal force, suppressing the rebellion with violent reprisals. Any form of opposition to the Russian presence risked abduction and confinement within the captors' chambers of torment. The once defiant resistance was swiftly subdued, driven into clandestine channels.

In tandem, Russia commenced their blueprint for the town's fate, transforming it into an administrative hub for the annexed territories around Kharkiv. Distributing Russian passports, the occupiers fashioned Kupyansk into a paragon of the "Russkij Mir" ideology—interpreted as the "Russian world" or "Russian peace."

Half a year later, Kupyansk was wrested back by Ukraine. Positioned 10 kilometers from the heart, vengeful Russian troops rained down daily artillery barrages upon the town. This aggression prompted an exodus of numerous residents. For those who remained, a daunting query lingers: how to rebuild after enduring the clutches of occupation?

Documentary creators Julia Bayer, Mathias Bölinger, Lewis Sanders, and Hanna Sokolova masterfully reconstruct the occupation's mechanics through firsthand accounts of survivors: those who escaped and those who stood their ground. The film paints a vivid tableau of life under foreign rule, probing the enigmatic realm of culpability and collusion. It engages with collaborating residents and resolute dissenters, whether their defiance was overt or clandestine. The documentary's canvas captures the intricate shades of life in occupation while posing profound questions regarding the nature of blame and complicity.

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