War has killed more than 2,000 civilians in Kharkiv region

"Unfortunately, there is a huge number of severely destroyed settlements. Nearly 80. We have already mentioned Masiutivka, Kindrashivka (in Kupyansk district). Villages located closer to Donetsk region practically do not exist. However, I would like to note that we still cannot visually determine whether this or that house is completely destroyed. Only an appropriate examination will answer whether it is subject to restoration. Therefore, these numbers are quite conditional," Oleh Syniehubov, Head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, told Ukrinform in an interview.

He emphasized that some of these settlements are still under enemy fire, so the residents should not return there and start reconstruction.

"There are destroyed villages that the Russians continue to shell. Of course, you can't go there now. People began to receive compensation, and we were asked: can we carry out reconstruction in our settlement with the funds received? We say that we cannot now restore electricity, water supply, or any infrastructure because fields, forests, forest areas, roads of local importance are mined there. So what will life be like in that renovated house?" Syniehubov notes.

As for the killed civilians, there are already 2,038 of them according to data as of the beginning of July. However, there are still mass graves in the region that cannot be reached.

"The numbers are growing, unfortunately. As of the beginning of July, 2,038 civilians were killed in Kharkiv region, 77 of them were children. Almost 3,000 people were injured, including 240 children. And I also note that we still have temporarily occupied territories – 29 settlements in Kupyansk district and a 5-10 km zone in the northern direction which we cannot reach. The shelling intensity is too high. And we also know that there are mass graves of our civilians and soldiers. Probably not as big as in Izium, but still they are there. We have tentative information about their locations in the north," said the governor.

As reported, 66 bodies found in a mass grave in Izium, Kharkiv region, remain unidentified.

Illustrative photo: Oleh Syniehubov