Empty playgrounds, lonely dogs and a constant backdrop of shelling fill the otherwise ghostly towns of Soledar and Bakhmut, located in the besieged Ukrainian east. The only movement is people boarding a bus -- storing their suitcases in the hold and preparing to flee.

Interested in licensing this video ? Get in touch 👉 http://u.afp.com/UBbQ
N.B.: AFP’s services and content are for professional use only