Strong stench lingers in Kindrativka after liberation, says local official

There is a strong stench in the streets of Kindrativka, where the bodies of destroyed occupiers remain. Clearing operations are ongoing in the liberated village, said Volodymyr Bitsak, Deputy Head of the Sumy District Council, during a live broadcast on Espreso.

"There have long been no civilians in Kindrativka. The people who stayed there before the enemy invasion have disappeared — their fate is currently unknown. Kindrativka is a large settlement that once had a school, a hospital, and a community center. I want to thank the 225th Assault Brigade for their significant work. The troops acted wisely, as the occupiers were surrounded," Bitsak emphasized.

According to him, Kindrativka could have been liberated earlier, but doing so would have cost the lives of Ukrainian soldiers.

"That’s why everything was done professionally and in line with proper tactics — and now we’re seeing results. People say the smell is unbearable, as bodies of dead occupiers still lie throughout the village. Clearing operations are underway, and order will be restored. We will definitely rebuild this village," he added.

• The analytical project DeepState reported that as of July 25, Ukrainian forces had liberated the village of Kindrativka in the Sumy region from Russian occupation.