'Only link to outside world'

It has become one of few reliable sources of information left.’

Valentyna Bykova knew the residents of Lyman, a bombed-out eastern Ukrainian town a dozen kilometres away from Russian positions, were waiting for her.

She was bringing them the latest issue of Zoria (Dawn) a local newspaper whose print edition is vital when power goes down near the front.

"Sometimes we don't have enough copies because it's the only remaining link to the outside world," said the 78-year-old retired journalist.

Print news may be dying in much of the world, but for isolated communities near Ukraine's front lines, it has become one of the few reliable sources of information left, as Russian bombardment cuts electricity and internet access.

Bykova walked through Lyman's streets, lined with crumbling buildings, their windows barricaded or blown-out, until she spotted a crowd standing in the silent city.

As soon as she held up the stacks of black-and-white copies, a dozen pensioners swarmed her.

"Give me some, wait! Me too! I didn't get any, just one please!" people shouted.