International reporting
War in Ukraine: the evacuation of civilians far from the front continues
Audio 02:38
Evacuation of civilians, too close to the fighting.
© RFI/Sebastien Nemeth
By: Sébastien Németh Follow |
Jad El Khoury
3 mins
Almost everywhere near the front, various organizations set up evacuations of civilians.
Thousands of people, seeking to escape the war, are thus brought to safety, moved to areas further away from the fighting.
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From our special envoys to Dnipro,
Alexander and Andrei are ready.
The two drivers from the organization FOP prepared their buses to bring back safe and sound 36 people from Mykolaivka, a town located very close to the front and regularly bombed.
So close to the fighting, the operation is uncertain, says Alexander.
"
These are mostly elderly people, children, the disabled, who cannot leave
," he explains.
“
We are privileged and we are all Ukrainians so we have to help them.
But be careful, anything can happen.
Everything is in the hands of God and the Russians…
”
► To read also: Ukraine: hell from one front to the other
"I thought the war would end, but I have no more hope..."
Arrived in town, the buses park near the Palace of Culture while not far away, the bombs ring out.
The identified inhabitants rush to leave as soon as possible.
Marina Igerena has just taken her place on board.
For 40 years she has lived in Mikolaivka.
Today she is exhausted.
“
I thought the war would end, but I have no more hope.
So I'm leaving
,” she resolves.
“
The situation is only getting worse, people are dying, houses are being destroyed.
We leave, but we don't know if our house will still be there when we come back.
»
Some had already left Mykolaivka during the conflict, before returning there when things calmed down.
But this time, the danger is too great.
Yelena is in tears.
With her husband, she left to join her children in western Ukraine.
This is the third time that I have left my city.
We are too scared now.
It's madness to stay.
A bomb exploded near our house.
So we are leaving to protect our family.
We will stay with relatives and then we will look for work to continue living.
► To read also: War in Ukraine: these engineers who memorize the historic buildings bombed
Yet, even if the danger becomes unbearable, not everyone has the opportunity to leave.
In a heartbreaking farewell in front of the bus, Svetlana must let her family go and stay behind, alone with her husband.
She is upset.
“
I have to let go of my three grandchildren.
We don't have enough money to go with them.
It's very difficult.
Even though I know that where they are going, they will be safe
,” she says.
Everyone tries to flee Mykolaivka for Dnipro, far from the fighting.
© RFI/Sebastien Nemeth
Dnipro, far from bombardments and fighting
The buses are full.
It's time to go.
Everyone says a last goodbye and the convoy takes the road in the opposite direction.
After a few hours on the road, the evacuees arrive at their final destination: Dnipro, far from the bombardments and fighting.
Ludmila only has two plastic bags with her, with some clothes to eat.
Here she is out of danger and yet the future remains very uncertain.
“
I feel better.
The noise of the bombs had become unbearable.
I have no one waiting for me here.
I don't even know where I'm going to sleep.
But the important thing was to leave.
I will try to find work, even if I don't know what awaits me
.
»
Buses are expected to return to Mykolaivka soon where other locals are applying for departure.
The phenomenon is observed everywhere in the part of Donbass still under Ukrainian control, and which is gradually emptying of its inhabitants.
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