Ukraine’s eastern region of Luhansk has been shaken by a separatist conflict – and so has the local economy. The town of Hirske, located in government-controlled territory, depends on a coal mine for most of its jobs, but major investments are needed for the operation to continue. With clashes continuing just a few kilometers away, the mine and locals’ livelihoods hang in the balance.
RFE/RL: Ukrainian miners struggle for economic survival (VIDEO)
Sasha, a 28-year-old miner, uses a cast-iron bathtub to rise up from "kopankas", a small illegal coal mine in Shakhtarsk, Donetsk region, on Sept. 22, 2016.
