Ukraine war in photos: In Kharkiv, a difficult ‘win’ for Ukrainians

Unlike Kyiv, which has been nearly unscathed by the war, and where no Russian troops have set foot, Kharkiv has been hit hard. In this curation of photos, one gets an idea of how difficult it may be to return home — or, for those who never left, how hard it will be to refashion anything like a normal life.

We also see examples of the detritus of the Russian assault: damaged power lines, unexploded rockets, the gash left in the side of an apartment, the gymnasium where Russian forces had been. And, on the dusty floor of a home hit by shellfire, an old book of postcards. Look carefully, and you can see the title: “Greetings from Kyiv.”