War has been raging in Mariupol for 26 days.
The Ukrainian city is surrounded.
In large parts there are said to be street battles between Ukrainian and Russian soldiers.
Numerous people are stuck in basements – without gas, without electricity, without heating and without petrol.
Many groups are working on the Telegram messenger service to help rescue the people of Mariupol.
Alisa Bauchina, who was born in the Republic of Moldova and has lived in Germany for many years, is involved in coordinating the help via Telegram.
She reports on the phone about relatives who are trying to find out information about their family members.
Some are willing to pay thousands of dollars for a rescue.
"The main thing is that people are saved from this hell," says Bauchina.
Martin Franke
Editor on duty at FAZ.NET.
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These are not government bailouts.
They would be carried out by "completely normal people," says Bauchina.
For example, she tries to find men from Zaporizhia, north of Mariupol, who can help.
You must have a driver's license and be registered in the city.
Registered convoys of around 50 cars and buses set out daily for Mariupol.
According to Bauchina, car after car is checked at the military checkpoints – both Ukrainian and Russian.
The men would have to undress and be searched for weapons.
The helpers sometimes slept in the basement one night and tried to drive back the next day, with people from the embattled city.
"The drivers of Zaporizhia are heroes," says Alisa Baukhina.
However, there are also black sheep in the Telegram groups: people who claim that they are rescuing people from Mariupol, taking money in advance and then disappearing.
Or saboteurs trying to get information about the assembled convoys, the routes and the passengers.
"On Tuesday alone there were several such cases, today their Telegram profile was deleted," says Bauchina about dubious accounts, behind which she suspects the Russian military.
“Thousands are still waiting for help.
Every day it gets worse"
The rescue operations of the volunteers are already difficult enough.
When the convoy is there, they see where it is still safe and where they can go.
"Such information is not disclosed in advance for security reasons." Even when you arrive, you don't know what the situation is: "Where it was safe yesterday, it's not anymore today." Some roads are so destroyed that you can't anymore approached.
“The volunteers take water, Pampers, groceries, power banks.
Of course, power generators are in great demand,” explains Bauchina.
However, lists of names of the people to be rescued from Mariupol would be left in Zaporizhia.
All information that could fall into Russian hands would be deleted from the drivers' smartphones beforehand.
She heard a different development from the areas conquered by the Russian armed forces.
There, says the young woman, a “necessary evacuation” would take place.
“'Inevitably' means you have about 15 minutes to pack the essentials.
And then you're deported to Russia.” Civilians also don't have the opportunity to travel to Ukraine.
"The way the Russian media portrays them as being rescued by Russian troops and coming to Russia as refugees." Russians.
She describes the case of a heavily pregnant woman whose husband she is looking for.
According to Bauchina, the Russian armed forces are also providing "humanitarian aid",
She cannot say how things will continue in Mariupol either.
The column that set out from Zaporizhia on Tuesday failed to enter the city.
"Everything is messed up." It is not known how many people have been saved, only one thing is clear: "This is a humanitarian catastrophe." Many people who are still in the city do not know whether they can still get out.
Many died while waiting.
The only place that is still safe in Mariupol: the basement.
“Thousands are still waiting for help.
Every day it gets worse.”