New Google Street View-Like Project Shows How the War Has Destroyed Ukraine
A collective of Ukrainian organizations marked the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine through a project called The Undeniable Street View — a street-view photography project that reveals the toll of Russia’s attacks in the streets and neighborhoods of Kyiv, Irpin, Kharkiv, Izyum, Chernihiv, and Sumy.
Like Google Street View, the project lets you navigate through specific streets and areas. With it, anyone in the world can observe the devastating impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and how the Kremlin targeted these cities’ residential areas.
“One of the biggest weapons of war will always be the truth. As Ukrainian citizens living amongst the destruction, we felt compelled to reveal the truth and highlight the daily realities of the ongoing war from our perspective,” shared Mykola Omelchenko, the photojournalist who led a small team of photographers who shot the 100 kilometers of street view footage featured on the site.
“The damage cannot be denied and we want the wider world to experience first hand what is actually happening on the ground,” Omelchenko added.
Millions of Homes, Thousands of Lives
A World Bank report released on Wednesday estimates that the damage in Ukraine will cost $411 billion over a decade to recover and rebuild, a significant increase from the $349 billion that the bank estimated in September.
The cost of cleaning up the wreckage and rubble alone in cities like the ones shown on The Undeniable Street View is estimated to already be at $5 billion, while the direct damage to buildings and infrastructure is estimated to be around $135 billion.
The bank also notes that these costs should be “considered as minimums as needs will continue to rise as long as the war continues.”
The war has so far destroyed nearly 2 million homes and killed 9,655 civilians, including 461 children.
Information for this briefing was found via The Undeniable Street View, Al Jazeera, World Bank, and the sources and companies mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to the organizations discussed. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
