The intentional flooding of a small village in the north of Kyiv that created a quagmire and submerged cellars, fields and also prevented a Russian invasion on the capital, was worth all the sacrifice.

During the early days of the war, Ukrainian forces opened a dam in Demydiv, causing the Irpin River to flood the village and thousands of acres around. The move has since been credited with stopping Russian soldiers and tanks from breaking through Ukraine’s lines.

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“Of course, it was good,” Reuters reported a man who lives in the village, but would not reveal his name.

“What would have happened if they (Russian forces) …. were able to cross the little river and then went onto Kyiv?”

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More than a third of some fields have been flooded, said another man, who also did not reveal his name.

Two months later, people in the village were still dealing with the aftermath of the flooding, using inflatable boats to move around and planting whatever dry swaths of lands were left with flowers and vegetables.

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Children were left with wetlands to use as playgrounds.

The Russian invasion, now in its third month, has claimed thousands of civilian lives, sent millions of Ukrainians fleeing and reduced cities to rubble.

However, Moscow has called its actions a “special military operation” to disarm Ukraine and protect it from fascists. Ukraine and the West say the fascist allegation is baseless and that the war is an unprovoked act of aggression.

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Over the weekend, Russia pummelled positions in the east of Ukraine on Sunday, seeking to encircle Ukrainian forces in the battle for Donbas.