BORODYANKA, Ukraine—Photos and reports of hundreds of civilian bodies found in Bucha have shocked the world, but a nearby town may have an even higher death toll caused by Russian military strikes and cruelty.

Two reporters from The Asahi Shimbun saw the destruction immediately after entering the town of Borodyanka, located about 50 kilometers northwest of Kyiv, on April 10.

The central part of one apartment building was blown away, leaving two remaining wings teetering on the brink of collapse.

About 100 residents are believed buried under the mountain of rubble that fell on the basement. But local officials said it would take days to remove the debris.

“There is the possibility that the number of civilian deaths in Borodyanka greatly exceeds that of Bucha,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

According to local residents, Russian troops entered Borodyanka, a rustic town of about 10,000, on Feb. 26, two days after the start of the invasion of Ukraine.

Several dozen families were living in the nine-floor apartment building when the Russians bombed and shelled the complex around 8 a.m. on March 2.

Many residents fled to the basement, where they are now believed buried.

Oleh Liashko, 49, a former member of the Ukrainian national assembly who visited Borodyanka, said: “Initially, voices calling out for help could be heard from the basement. But the Russian troops did not allow for any search of victims, so there was no way those people could be saved.”

A 33-year-old resident who lived on the seventh floor with two family members managed to escape on Feb. 27 when it was still comparatively easy to move about.

Three days later, the apartment building was attacked and destroyed.

At least four other large buildings in Borodyanka were torn in two from the Russian bombardment, leaving behind huge piles of rubble.

The search for survivors could only start on April 2 after Russian troops left the town.

A 34-year-old mechanic said the Russians likely tried to destroy all of the tall buildings in the town because of their fear of coming under sniper attack.

He lived in a single-family home near the destroyed apartment building but managed to flee the town on the morning of March 2 before the building was bombed and shelled.

He returned to Borodyanka on April 7 after learning that Russian troops had left.

The water supply, electricity and gas remain cut off. Water must be pumped from a well, and firewood is now being used for heating.

“Considering how heavily damaged the apartment building is, it may not be possible to rebuild it,” the mechanic said.

Residents of another building that avoided major damage returned for clean-up or salvaging efforts.

A 41-year-old truck driver who lives on the fifth floor, said that although the building was still standing, the interior is a mess from the Russian strikes.

Furniture was on the verge of falling over and clothes and other supplies were scattered throughout the rooms.

“We were attacked by tanks, but I was saved because I fled to the home of a friend who lives in the neighboring village,” the truck driver said. “I want to take with me any furniture that I can still use.”

Liashko, the former national assembly member, said: “The extent of the damage cannot be transmitted through photos or videos. I want to preserve these damaged buildings as they are so that people from around the world can see for themselves how terrible the damage was.”

RUSSIANS USE KINDERGARTEN AS PLAYGROUND

At a kindergarten in the center of Borodyanka, military clothing, supplies and gas masks were scattered among toys and pictures drawn by children.

Bunkers were dug on the grounds of the kindergarten, and Russian troops also apparently cooked soup in a large pot found in what was once the playroom.

Whiskey and cognac bottles were also littered in various rooms of the kindergarten.

“Three days after the troops entered the town, they were believed to have started looting stores, and all the alcohol was taken from the shops,” said a volunteer from southern Ukraine who was helping to clean up the mess left behind by the Russian troops.

A DVD player had been set up on the second floor, with a pile of war movies nearby. A different collection of DVDs was also found.

“The Russians enjoyed porn here,” the volunteer said.

Removing and repairing the bunkers at the kindergarten will take time, meaning that children will be unable to return to the facility soon.

(This article was written by Norito Kunisue and Tetsuro Takehana.)