xenos travel summer 2022

OUR COMPANY

XENOS TRAVEL since 1974 (IATA member 2720037-5) has been a very dynamic presence in the tourist tourism sector both in Greece and abroad. The basic direction of the company is the complete travel coverage of both B2B & B2C customers, based on the needs of the market and the requirements of the travelers.

In order to achieve its goals of offering an excellent service, the company is based on:

– Well-trained and experienced staff.

– Continuous development of technological equipment and booking systems.

– Adapting services to international quality standards.

– Strict rules of consistency, solvency and reliability.

– Partnering with leading partners in the industry.

The constant cooperation and the close relationship we create with the customer is a guarantee and an assurance that our company carries out responsibly all series of integrated travel services. The certified services of XENOS TRAVEL have established the trust of customers for all future cooperation opportunities.

AIR TICKETS

Issue airline tickets at the best possible rates.

BOAT TICKETS

Issue ferry tickets for all destinations.

XENOS TRAVEL  proposes a wide choice of transport for all F.I.T.  types.

Groups pricelist & ad-hoc transfer rates available upon request

EXCURSIONS & TOURS 

We offer complete destination experiences all around Greece from a big choice of different excursions and tours.

ALL GREECE destinations await you (CULTURAL & popular ISLANDS with lush beaches as well as areas of special interest) to experience unique moments.

CRUISES  & YACHTS

A cruise is the best choice for your honeymoon, to celebrate an anniversary, to enjoy moments of relaxation with your family or friends. We arrange both fixed & specific departures within Greece.

XENOS TRAVEL has agreements with numerous yacht and sailboat firms in the region.. Custom demand and details on available boats and respective prices can be offered upon request.

Our company has been working with the most recognized companies in the field of car rental and can provide you with flexible & serviced options for your convenience.

STUDENT  TOURS

School trips to Greece are an excellent choice for students of any discipline as well as leisure and tourism groups. Please ask for more details respectively.

TAILOR MADE VACATION

We often get asked and frequently organize vacation packages for travelers seeking to experience less popular areas of Greece; seeking adventure, exploration, & the knowledge of unknown cultures as well as visiting popular sites but at a fashion of meeting individual needs, has always proven to be amongst the most exclusive choice for many.

SPECIAL TOURISM

RELIGIOUS AGRO-WINE CULINARY SPORT MEDICAL & BEAUTY WEDDING PLANNING & MANAGEMENT

INTERNATIONAL COMBINATIONS  TOURS 

GREECE  with a choice of  Cyprus   , Turkey,    Italy,   &   Egypt.

XENOS TRAVEL designs and implements any incentives type travel request based on needs and requirements specifically set by its customers.

XENOS TRAVEL with its specialized partners organizes and implements the CONFERENCE of your company. It provides services for the entire program including the 24-7 schedule of all attendees.

ACCOMMODATION

We offer accommodation over 4.000 hotels, apartments, studios and villas are available for you to book.

DESTINATIONS

Crete island

Cyclades Islands  (Santorini, Mykonos, Paros, Naxos, Ios, Syros)

Peloponnese Mainland

Central Greece Mainland

Argosaronic islands

Chalkidiki (Nothern Greece mainland)

Sporades Islands  (Skiathos, Skopelos, Skyros)

Ionian islands  (Corfu, Paxoi, Lefkas, Ithaki, Kefallinia, Zante)

Dodecanese islands  (Rhodes, Kos, Patmos, Simi, Leros)

Xenos  Travel 18 Iasonidou Ave, GR 167 77, Elliniko ATHENS  GREECE Tel +302103246113-4 Fax +302103235958 email  [email protected] www.xenostravel.gr

Λιγα λογια για μας

Οι πιστοποιημένες υπηρεσίες του γραφείου XENOS TRAVEL έχουν εδραιώσει την σχέση εμπιστοσύνης των πελατών για κάθε μελλοντική συνεργασία.

Το ταξίδι είναι η πρόσκληση για τις ωραιότερες στιγμές της ζωή μας!

Το γραφείο XENOS TRAVEL με τα έμπειρα στελέχη του φροντίζει να διασφαλίζει την καλύτερη ποιότητα υπηρεσιών και να σας προσφέρει ένα αξέχαστο ταξίδι.

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Experience the Ultimate Summer Adventure with Xenos Travel’s 2022 Packages

By knbbs-sharer.

Are you ready for an unforgettable summer adventure? Look no further than Xenos Travel – a premier travel agency that offers exciting packages for your upcoming vacation. Experience the ultimate summer adventure with Xenos Travel’s 2022 packages, and explore some of the most breathtaking destinations around the world.

Why choose Xenos Travel?

Xenos Travel is a travel agency that specializes in creating tailor-made packages for its customers. They understand that every individual has unique preferences, and they cater to those preferences to create a memorable travel experience. Whether you’re seeking a romantic getaway, a family vacation, or an adventure trip, Xenos Travel has something for everyone.

What can you expect from Xenos Travel’s 2022 packages?

Xenos Travel’s 2022 packages are designed to offer you the ultimate summer adventure. You can choose from a wide range of destinations, from tropical beaches to exotic jungles. Here’s what you can expect from their packages:

• Well-planned itineraries that cover all the major tourist attractions
• Comfortable accommodations, ranging from budget-friendly options to luxurious resorts
• Transportation arrangements, including flights, trains, and private transfers
• Knowledgeable tour guides to provide you with interesting facts and insights about each destination
• Opportunities to participate in exciting activities, such as snorkeling, hiking, and wildlife safaris

Where can you go with Xenos Travel’s 2022 packages?

Xenos Travel offers a wide range of destinations, including:

• Bali, Indonesia – Known for its beautiful beaches, temples, and lush green jungles.
• Hawaii, USA – A tropical paradise with stunning beaches, volcanoes, and waterfalls.
• New Zealand – A breathtaking destination with picturesque landscapes, mountains, and lakes.
• Kenya – An adventure lover’s paradise, with wildlife safaris and beautiful landscapes.
• Japan – A country with a unique blend of traditional and modern culture, including delicious cuisine and fascinating history.

Why should you book a summer adventure with Xenos Travel?

Booking a summer adventure with Xenos Travel ensures that you’ll have a stress-free vacation that is tailored to your preferences. Their team of experts will take care of all the details, from travel arrangements to accommodations, leaving you free to enjoy your vacation to the fullest. With Xenos Travel, you’ll create unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime.

If you’re looking to experience the ultimate summer adventure, Xenos Travel’s 2022 packages are the perfect choice. With their well-planned itineraries, comfortable accommodations, knowledgeable tour guides, and exciting activities, you’re sure to have an unforgettable vacation that will leave you wanting more. Contact Xenos Travel today to book your next summer adventure!

(Note: Do you have knowledge or insights to share? Unlock new opportunities and expand your reach by joining our authors team. Click Registration to join us and share your expertise with our readers.)

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• Xenos Travel by Royal Holidays

Royal Holidays is a tour operator based in Nicosia, Cyprus and is a registered and authorised member of the International Air Transport Association (I.A.T.A), the Cyprus Tourism Organization (C.T.O) and the Association of Cyprus Travel Agents (A.C.T.A). As a Tour Operator the company specializes and offers a huge variety of travelling services like Air Tickets, Hotel Accommodation, Car Rentals, Cruises, Chartering of any type of Jets as well as organizing any kind of Conference and/or Exhibition. Our experienced and specialized personnel ensure that our customers are not purchasing just a travelling service but an unforgettable and enjoyable experience. Royal Holidays

Nikis Avenue 3 , Flat/Office: Office 101 , Nicosia , Cyprus P.O. Box: 28666 P.O. Box Postal Code: 2081

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What to Expect from the 2022 Summer Travel Season

Travelers have been dealing with the trials and tribulations of canceled trips and elusive refunds for nearly two years. It will get better this year.

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When Katie Knox, of East Lansing, Mich., booked a flight to Paris to visit her boyfriend over the holidays, she locked in a low fare on budget airline Frenchbee. But then her boyfriend tested positive for COVID-19 only days ahead of her planned departure, delaying her trip by 10 days. She changed her flight, but her sad saga was just beginning. Her Delta Airlines flight from Detroit to Newark, N.J., where she was connecting with her flight to Paris, was canceled, thanks to COVID-related staff shortages.

Knox had to wait a day to get another flight to Newark. She spent the night in a Detroit airport hotel and decided to book a new flight with Swiss Air from New York to Copenhagen, where her boyfriend was traveling to be with his family. She received a credit for her Frenchbee flight and booked a return flight home on Iceland Air. But that flight was canceled because of severe weather in Reykjavik. She opted for a refund instead of a new flight—but because she had booked the flight on travel aggregator Gotogate, she had to spend 10 hours on the phone, on hold and on multiple calls, trying to lock in the money. In the end she was promised the refund—which she was told could be delayed up to a year.

Welcome to travel in 2022. After two years of navigating the complexities of canceled, interrupted or delayed plans, thanks to the pandemic and its many ripples and waves, as well as severe weather, travelers endured another episode of canceled flights over the holidays. Now, many people have their sights set on traveling freely again this summer. But with COVID-related uncertainty, locking in travel itineraries may feel like wishful thinking.

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Even so, travel experts are anticipating a rebound for tourism this summer, particularly in places where borders are just beginning to reopen. Many public health experts are predicting a relatively quick end to the omicron surge. And even if the virus sees a new surge from a new variant, the key to successful travel this summer will be good planning. That will include being vaccinated and getting a booster, plus packing a full-featured travel insurance policy.

Travel regulations this year are likely to shift from full-on border closures to vaccine requirements, says Melanie Lieberman, senior travel editor for The Points Guy, a travel rewards website. “We’re already seeing some destinations announce vaccination expiration dates or booster requirements,” she says.

Travel restrictions to Europe and Asia should begin to lift. And the market for flights to Europe should get competitive, says Scott Keyes, CEO and founder of travel website Scott’s Cheap Flights. As travel restrictions relax, Europe is where airlines will begin to start adding routes quickly, says Keyes, and travelers should keep an eye out for deals.

What to Expect Traveling in a Post-COVID World

Although there may be more opportunities for international travel this summer, most vacationers will likely focus on domestic trips. “We know travelers are eager to return to their favorite destinations abroad, particularly in Europe, but until regulations and requirements for entry stabilize, many travelers will choose to stay closer to home,” says Lieberman. National parks, beaches and other outdoor-oriented destinations will be popular. But don’t expect great deals for domestic travel.

Placing bets on where to go is a balancing act of pricing and availability. Although domestic travel is the safest bet, some short-haul international destinations, such as the Caribbean and parts of Central and South America, that have been granting access with certain entry requirements should also be reliable destinations in 2022.

Fortunately for fliers, major U.S. airlines made permanent changes during the pandemic, allowing flexible bookings for most tickets. That means you won’t have to pay a fee if you need to change your flight—as long as you don’t buy the cheapest fares. And airlines are not expected to go back on their word and change this policy anytime soon, says Keyes.

Chances are, if you’ve been traveling during the pandemic, you already have experience with this—you may even have accumulated a few flight credits from canceled trips. Be sure to read the fine print on these credits or vouchers, because not all airlines offer the same flexibility for your new booking. Pay attention to whether you are required to make your booking during a certain time frame or whether the new flight must take place during a certain time period.

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For new bookings, if you want a flexible fare, avoid basic economy tickets. The cost difference between a basic economy and main cabin ticket may be low (recently as low as $20 or $30 for a $200 domestic flight), and it could be well worth paying for the upgrade if you compare that with the cost of changing your flight, which is typically $200. There are workarounds with certain airlines that offer even more flexibility. For example, if you book with United Airlines, you can later upgrade your basic economy ticket to a ticket with flight flexibility. And Southwest Airlines always offers flexibility on all tickets, no matter the price.

Requesting a flight change or credit is fairly straightforward when you book your travel directly with the airline. Once you place your request, you’ll generally be issued a credit for the full cost of the flight. Most airlines let you apply those funds to any new flight, and some, such as American and United, will even allow you to transfer your flight credit to someone else. You’ll always be on the hook for a fare difference for a new flight—unless the airline has made a special exception.

Travelers can expect continued COVID safety protocols, such as enforced mask-wearing, hand-sanitizing stations, and more contactless processes, such as scanning your own boarding pass. Don’t expect talk about vaccine requirements for domestic flights to gain any traction.

After the cruise industry shut down in 2020, the long-awaited return to cruising in 2021 proved promising, offering a host of COVID safety protocols on many new trips. Cruise lines have been requiring vaccinations for staff and most passengers, and cruises often require negative tests as well.

But the return to cruising has had hiccups reminiscent of the crises on cruise ships at the outset of the pandemic. Many travelers who sought out cruising as a fun, safe bubble of vaccinated people over the holidays were met with disappointment when the rise of the omicron variant quickly spread. And unfortunately, because cruise lines were only required to report positive case counts to passengers after the infections reached a certain threshold, passengers were often left in the dark about just how dire the situation was. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an open-ended warning to all Americans to avoid travel on cruise trips in December, regardless of their vaccination status. It was the agency’s highest coronavirus warning.

Still, cruise industry experts are optimistic about prospects for this summer. “We’re seeing signs that the travel outlook for 2022, particularly in the summer, is strong,” says Colleen McDaniel, editor in chief of Cruise Critic, a travel website. “There’s been pent up demand for a while, bookings for 2022 are strong, and we’re hearing sentiment from cruisers that they’re anxious to get out there,” she says.

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Many cruisers are looking to stay closer to home. Summer is a great time to visit Alaska, and although last year’s Alaska cruise season was cut in half, this year should have a full Alaska season, McDaniel says. Masking regulations vary by cruise line. For example, Carnival Cruise Line updated its mask requirement as omicron began to spread, requesting that all passengers age 2 and older wear a mask on board, except when eating or drinking.

Although historically cruises have rarely offered refundable fares, many cruise lines continue to be flexible about cancellations. But discounted cruise fares have been few and far between. Prices now generally match what they were in 2019. The best time to book cruises is generally from January through March and sometimes a bit into April, during what the cruise industry calls wave season. During these months, you might find a discounted booking, or packages with perks that offer deals on board, such as free drinks or Wi-Fi.

Travel aggregators

Before you book with a third-party travel provider, be sure you fully understand their policies. If you’ve been struggling to get a refund for travel you booked with a third-party provider, you may have to be patient—as Katie Knox discovered with her marathon phone calls. “Anytime a third-party provider gets involved, there’s an opportunity for the travel provider and the third party to defer to the other, which can mean a headache in terms of canceling, rebooking and getting a refund,” says Lieberman.

Kiplinger reader Kevin Shea recently wrote to us about a frustrating experience he had with Expedia. He booked a European vacation for his family of four through Expedia on American Airlines. Expedia issued credits for the flights, but this past December, when he tried to book tickets using the credits for new flights this summer, he encountered error messages online. An Expedia customer service rep told him to contact American Airlines.

American Airlines helped him book the new fares. However, because the fares were originally booked through Expedia, the airline charged a $50 rebooking fee for each of the four tickets.

Credit Card Perks for Car Rentals

You will have an easier time getting credits or refunds if you book directly with the airline rather than through a third party. And if you book a flexible fare directly with an airline using points, the points should be automatically returned to your account if you cancel, Lieberman says.

Regardless of where you buy your ticket, U.S. airlines are legally required to provide a refund if your flight was canceled or subject to a significant schedule change or delay, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. That usually means a schedule shift of two hours or more, although the DOT does not explicitly define what constitutes a significant delay or change. And airlines are not required to issue a refund for a significantly delayed flight that you choose to take; if a flight is significantly delayed, you may want to cancel your reservation, rebook another flight and collect a refund.

Rental cars are still in short supply

If you’re renting a car in 2022, brace yourself for higher prices and longer waits at the rental counter. The industry has been rocked by shortages and price spikes since summer 2020. After the initial COVID-19 shutdowns and travel disruptions, more people rented vehicles for driving vacations or as alternatives to public transportation, but supply-chain kinks caused shortfalls in carmakers’ inventories and left rental companies with fewer vehicles. Travelers who rented a vehicle at an airport location faced a nearly 60% increase in rental-car prices between August 2020 and August 2021, according to a report from J.D. Power.

To get the best price, book as early as you can and shop several rental companies. Closer to your trip, try using AutoSlash.com , an online car-rental service that may find last-minute deals.

A number of car-rental alternatives have popped up during the pandemic. Turo , the car-sharing service now available in every U.S. state, has seen business boom. However, note that you probably can’t rely on your personal auto insurance if you’re driving a Turo car because most policies only cover you if you’re renting from an accredited car-rental company. Turo offers insurance plans that will add from 15% to 60% to the cost of your rental, depending on the level of protection.

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Emma Patch joined Kiplinger in 2020. She previously interned for Kiplinger's Retirement Report and before that, for a boutique investment firm in New York City. She served as editor-at-large and features editor for Middlebury College's student newspaper, The Campus . She specializes in travel, student debt and a number of other personal finance topics. Born in London, Emma grew up in Connecticut and now lives in Washington, D.C.

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‘I still imagine being there:’ A trip through memories of Ukrainian cities in tatters from Russia's war

Russia’s now-10-year war against Ukraine has affected every inch of the country, but no other region has taken the brunt of Russian aggression like Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, comprised of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

While the initial eight years of Russia's invasion only affected a handful of eastern Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages, some 200 have now been heavily impacted by Russia’s full-scale invasion of 2022, according to Ukrainian authorities.

At least 35 settlements continue to experience active combat, while others have ceased to exist almost entirely, such as Volnovakha , Bakhmut , or Marinka in Donetsk Oblast.

“The town of Marinka no longer exists,” then-Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zalyzhnyi told a news conference in late December 2023.

Each damaged or destroyed town and city carries with it a human toll. Thousands have been killed and over a million have been displaced from the country’s eastern regions since 2014.

Between 2014 and 2021, Russia’s war killed 3,400 civilians and injured 9,000, according to the UN. The number of civilian casualties almost tripled when Russia unleashed its full-scale invasion, with 9,700 dead and 17,750 wounded.

Half of the casualties after 2022 were recorded in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

Ukrainian authorities say, however, that the civilian casualties in occupied territories are impossible to count. Ukraine has said that in Mariupol alone, at least 11,000 civilians could have been killed during Russia’s months-long siege between February and May 2022.

It’s unclear if these places will ever be rebuilt. Even if they are, they changed forever.

The Kyiv Independent has compiled a series of photographs showcasing the stark contrast between what these places looked like before and after the full-scale invasion, alongside locals' memories of cities destroyed or on the brink of destruction.

Mariupol, Donetsk Oblast

When Kateryna Kovalchuk stole a book on Mariupol's old architecture from the school library, little did she know that 15 years later, it would serve as her sole connection to her hometown.

Russia’s months-long siege of Mariupol devastated the strategic port city before its forces seized control of it in May 2022. The UN estimates that at least 90% of the city’s residential buildings were damaged or destroyed by the onslaught.

Kovalchuk flips through the book to show the Kyiv Independent her favorite building, the House with Lions. The Art Nouveau mansion built at the turn of the 20th century was impossible to miss among the austere Soviet buildings around it.

She recalls taking walks before the full-scale invasion, saying that she liked to imagine what the city must have looked like 100 years ago.

“I still imagine being there,” Kovalchuk told the Kyiv Independent.

All of Mariupol’s main streets lead to a city garden overlooking the Azov Sea, a popular spot with locals.

From the garden, one also had a view of the gigantic Azovstal steel plant, the Ukrainian military’s last stronghold in Mariupol that is now synonymous with Ukraine’s defense of the city in the early days of the full-scale invasion.

Russia’s brutal siege of Mariupol, once home to 500,000 people, heavily damaged the Azovstal plant, Kovalchuk’s home, and the House with Lions.

Kovalchuk said she doesn't recognize the footage of the hometown she used to explore.

"What scares me the most is that (sometimes) I can't even recognize any landmarks," she said.

Andrii Kiurdzhiev also hung out at the observation deck in the city garden. He loved watching people calmly staring at the horizon during the eight years he lived in Mariupol.

Two years after fleeing, he is still attached to Mariupol’s seaside.

“I can’t imagine how it is possible to live in a city without the sea,” Kiurdzhiev told the Kyiv Independent.

Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast

Andrii Kiurdzhiev fled his native Avdiivka in June 2014 after Kremlin-backed proxies captured the town and a string of others in April 2014.

To escape the fighting around Avdiivka, he moved 100 kilometers south to the city of Mariupol, which had recently been liberated by Ukrainian forces in June 2014 after a month under Russian proxy control.

Ukraine managed to retake both places in the summer of 2014. But as of the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Russia has captured both cities, practically razing them to the ground in the process.

After months of intense battles, Ukrainian troops were forced to withdraw from Avdiivka in late February 2023 as it became increasingly clear that Russian forces were close to encircling them.

Once home to almost 30,000 people, the city has been flattened to something resembling a large plot of land scattered with the occasional carcass of a destroyed building.

The coke plant — central to the town’s life and the Ukrainian military’s last stronghold in the city — has been taken over by Russian troops.

Kiurdzhiev worked at the plant maintaining one of its turbines. After shifts, he said he would grab his guitar and ride his bicycle to a nearby quarry.

The apartment building where Kiurdzhiev used to live collapsed after it was struck in a Russian attack in October 2023. After seeing footage of the rubble that used to be his home, Kiurdzhiev said he just hoped his bicycle was still in the basement.

Remembering the town, he says it felt like a “dream suburban city compared to American standards, just without the white picket fences.”

After losing two homes to Russia’s 10-year war, Kiurdzhiev says he’s emotionally drained.

"I have no home, nothing. Now I need to survive and search for a new place to call home rather than lamenting the loss of the old one," Kiurdzhiev told the Kyiv Independent from Lviv, where he lives now.

Kurakhove, Donetsk Oblast

West of Avdiivka, daily Russian missile attacks constantly hit the small but strategic town of Kurakhove in Donetsk Oblast.

Before the war, the predominantly industrial Kurakhove, located on the banks of a large water reservoir, had little to offer its residents. Iryna Ivanchenko and her friends spent most of their time outdoors in nature.

She says they used to go to the bank opposite their homes and walk through the bushes to a hilltop. They’d watch the sunset and stare up at the sky full of stars for hours, she remembers.

Today, civilians can't reach this high ground as it's considered militarily strategic.

"Many places related to my childhood have been destroyed, including the House of Culture where I used to dance, my kindergarten, and school," Ivanchenko told the Kyiv Independent.

“I'm afraid of losing my home and never being able to return because the Russians are razing cities in Donbas to the ground,” she said.

Ivanchenko said that after her classroom survived a Russian attack, she held onto some hope that the school could be rebuilt.

But the last time she was in Kurakhove to visit her parents who have remained in July 2023, the classroom hadn't made it through another Russian attack.

“I don’t have any place now where I could bring my future children and say, your mom spent time here or studied here,” she said.

Niu-York, Donetsk Oblast

A similar strategically important hilltop is located some 50 kilometers east of Kurakhovke in the town of Niu-York, Donetsk Oblast.

The high point offers a 360-degree view of an area that has been a war theater for the last 10 years.

The Russian-occupied city of Horlivka and the road connecting it with Toretsk are visible to the naked eye six kilometers east down the hill. Other occupied or destroyed settlements are also in sight.

The hilltop was an unofficial landfill before a group of young people got together to clean it up in May 2021, said Khrystyna Shevchenko, a local who led the NGO Youth Initiative of Ukrainian Niu-York.

“Coming here to the hilltop, young people understand (the real) a dream of liberating Horlivka as well as a free and independent Ukraine,” Shevchenko told the Kyiv Independent.

The group also worked on efforts to rename the city from its Soviet name Novhorodske to its original name, Niu-York.

German settlers in the 19th century had given the area the name Niu-York after the American city. The Soviets renamed it to sound Russian. Its original name was officially reinstated in July 2021.

The war had been near for years, but this didn’t get in the way of local teenagers from using the hill as a place to party. It was a must-see spot for visitors.

Half of the city’s pre-war population of 24,000 had already fled by the time Russia expanded its invasion in February 2022. The city is now mostly abandoned, Shevchenko said.

The NGO’s 22 members had their meetings at the local Palace of Culture, a sort of community center popular in Soviet times that are still used across Ukraine for a variety of functions and gatherings.

The building now stands in rubble like many other buildings around.

Shevchenko said the stage inside and the arch above it survived, hoping it also could be rebuilt.

"We dream of being able to reconstruct a place where all the local children can come and be together," she said.

Sievierodonetsk, Luhansk Oblast

Before the war, it was a two-hour ride from Niu-York to Sievierodonetsk in Luhansk Oblast. The road goes through the now-destroyed Bakhmut , Soledar , and Klishchiivka along with dozens of other devastated villages.

The industrial city of Sievierodonetsk had served as the regional capital since the 2014 Russian occupation of Luhansk, the region’s official capital. It was attacked on the first day of the full-scale invasion in Feb. 24, 2022.

The day before the start of the full-scale war, Yevhen, who refused to provide his last name for security reasons, took the last pictures of his favorite lake where a decade earlier he had taken his first-ever photograph.

He took his usual route through leafy streets and by the chemical plant in the industrial zone where he would stop for a coffee.

Yevhen said he returned home without any feelings of anxiety that something might happen.

His intuition failed him. Yevhen awoke around 8 a.m. on Feb. 24, 2022 to his mom calling to tell him that Russia invaded Ukraine . Following the call, two loud explosions shook his nine-story apartment building.

“I panicked so hard as I hadn’t heard explosions for eight years. I thought the building would collapse,” Yevhen told the Kyiv Independent.

The explosions were occurring closer to his home every day. The final warning call that it was time to leave was on March 5, 2022 when a barrage of artillery hit his neighborhood. Three days later, his cat, Tymosha, probably saved Yevhen’s life.

Minutes before their apartment was hit, Tymosha’s meows woke up Yevhen. They took shelter and survived an attack that ruined their apartment. After living in a basement for a month, Yevhen fled the area with his mom and Tymosha.

The Battle of Sievierodonetsk quickly turned into fierce urban warfare . Russian forces devastated the city with artillery and guided bombs before it fell under their control in June 2022.

“I watched a video of my apartment building burning. Watching (footage of Sievierodonetsk) I realized that I walked those streets. Now they're gone,” he said barely above a whisper.

Rubizhne, Luhansk Oblast

In neighboring Rubizhne, Oleksiy Artiukh used to start his mornings with breakfast, football programs on TV, and occasionally gazing out the window at the playground below.

He had purchased his apartment a year before the full-scale invasion, planning a future in the developing city surrounded by forests, lakes, and the winding Siverskyi Donets River.

When Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed Russians shortly before the start of the full-scale invasion recognizing the parts of Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts occupied since 2014 as “independent states,” Artiukh knew it was time to leave.

"On Feb. 23, 2022, I came to my parents for the last time to bid farewell," Artiukh told the Kyiv Independent.

It was also the last he saw of his now-late grandmother, with whom he spent a lot of time growing up.

A week after he left, Russian troops launched an assault on Rubizhne and urban warfare ensued. The street outside of his old office had turned into a front line.

Those who remained were left with the grim task of burying their loved ones, killed during the urban warfare and shelling, in makeshift graves right in front of their apartment buildings.

One day, scrolling through Instagram, Artiukh stumbled upon a photo of a playground where his windows once overlooked. The image depicted four makeshift crosses protruding from the ground, accompanied by the caption, "My house is no longer a playground."

"At the moment, there were makeshift graveyards of both adults and children in nearly every yard," Artiukh said.

In mid-May 2022, Russian troops occupied the heavily damaged city following more than two months of intense street fighting.

"Now, only remnants remain of the city. The shops and cafes are gone, destroyed by fire and looting, but the store signs are still hanging," said Artiukh.

Popasna, Luhansk Oblast

Yuliia Kanzeba spent her childhood playing piano and drums at the music school near her home in downtown Popasna, a town in Luhansk Oblast with a pre-war population of 20,000 residents.

“I lived at the music school,” Kanzeba told the Kyiv Independent as she spoke with enthusiasm about classical and rock music.

Russia's war has silenced Popasna’s children from playing music. The shelling sounds orchestrated by the Wagner Orchestra, the self-proclaimed nickname of the notorious mercenary outfit Wagner Group, took over.

The Kremlin-backed Wagner Group reduced every settlement to rubble as they advanced toward Popasna .

Two months into the Battle of Popasna, the governor reported grim news: No building had survived the onslaught.

The music school was damaged, and part of Kanzeba's five-story residential building crumbled in a Russian air strike.

"My part of the building is still standing. The invincible part," she said.

Kanzeba remembers the memories of her last visit to her family home two weeks before the invasion. Now, she scours Russian propaganda videos, searching for glimpses of her home.

Such footage is rare since the Russian occupying forces are stationed in her building. The idea of it pains her.

When Wagner seized control of the ravaged town in May 2022, Moscow declared it would not rebuild Popasna.

Despite the bleak outlook, Kanzeba wants to return. She said she will go immediately when Popasna is liberated.

She knows it will be difficult to witness her home, located on Peace Street. "There may be no peace in the city (now), but the street is still there," Kanzeba said.

Russia’s war has destroyed 64 settlements in Luhansk Oblast, equivalent to one-tenth of the region.

“The list shouldn’t be considered final and exhaustive until complete liberation,” Roman Mamedov, regional administration spokesperson, told the Kyiv Independent.

Read also: Alone: Photo project shows wives of fallen soldiers coping with loss, shattered dreams

We’ve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent .

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