The NY Times released today a report on the damage being done to the nation of Ukraine by the armed conflict. The work was done in cooperation with two leading remote sensing scientists to analyze data from space-based satellites that can detect small changes in the built environment. There are towns, such as Marinka in Eastern Ukraine, where the devastation is as severe, if not more so, than the damage done to Hiroshima by the atomic bombing of that city during World War II.

Across the nation, more than 900 schools, hospitals, churches and other institutions have been damaged or destroyed even though these sites are explicitly protected under the Geneva Conventions. These estimates are conservative. They don’t include Crimea or parts of western Ukraine where accurate data was unavailable. The true scope of destruction is likely to be even greater — and it keeps growing. In mid-May, the Russians bombed some towns in northeastern Ukraine so ferociously that one resident said they were erasing streets. Ukrainian forces have caused major damage, too, by bombing frontline Russian positions and attacking Russian-held territory like Crimea and Donetsk City. While it is not always possible to determine which side is responsible, the devastation recorded in Russian-held areas pales in comparison to what is seen on the Ukrainian side.

“Few places have been as devastated as Marinka, a small town in eastern Ukraine. The damage runs into the billions, but the true cost is much higher. Marinka was a community. Marinka was living history. Marinka was a wellspring for families for nearly 200 years. Its erasure has left people feeling lost. “If I shut my eyes, I can see everything from my old life,” said Iryna Hrushkovksa, 34, who was born and raised in Marinka. “I can see the front gate. I can walk through the front door. I can step into our beautiful kitchen and look into the cupboards.” “But if I open my eyes,” she said, “it’s all gone.”