Hanna is frantically trying to get out as Russian rockets destroy the town of Avdiivka. But her aging mother is adamant about staying.
On the phone, Hanna says, “I can’t leave her.” “She stated that she preferred to rest on her own bed. She is 71 years old and has leg issues. She won’t be able to access water or wood for warmth if she stays alone.
They are among of the last people to live in Avdiivka, huddled uncomfortably in a fifth-floor apartment while being subjected to almost daily airstrikes and bombardment.
This strategically significant and hotly contested town is located in eastern Ukraine directly on the front line.
Almost everyone has left. Fighting has been going on here since 2014, but since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February of last year, the population has decreased from over 30,000 to just over 1,000.
Early this month, Russia began a significant offensive against the town, and recently, the combat has become more intense. The situation, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, is “particularly difficult.”
All over, windows and doors are damaged, claims Hanna. “With attacks every day, it’s difficult to fix them because they get broken again every day.”
The city of Donetsk, which has been held by Russia and its proxies since 2014, is sometimes referred to as having its entrance in this town. They could move the front line back by seizing nearby Avdiivka, which would make it more difficult for the Ukrainian army to recover the area.
Hanna claims that going to the last store in the town would be taking your life into your own hands.
In the event of an attack, there are no safe havens… You won’t have enough time to get to safety if you hear a whistle.
Since then, that store has been destroyed.
Residents of Avdiivka now depend even more on a location known as a Point of Invincibility. These government-built assistance centers, which are intended to offer food, shelter, warmth, and power, can be found all throughout the nation.
Others in Avdiivka now call the Point of Invincibility their home.
Maryna, a 40-year-old nurse who volunteers at the institution, moved there after an attack destroyed her home’s doors and windows.
She claims that despite the basement’s relative safety, she still doesn’t sleep well.
Every night, missiles are being fired. each and every day and night. They were in excess.
“Everyone feels fear.”
The adult son of Maryna has left Avdiivka. She intends to do so shortly.
People are hard to get out of the town, and it’s unsafe. The evacuations are led by a specialized police force known as the White Angels, albeit they occasionally have trouble convincing people to leave.
According to crew member Hennadiy Yudin, 50 individuals were saved in the previous week.
But the local situation has drastically gotten worse.
The town and adjacent villages are frequently attacked. launched by guided aerial bombs, missiles, or multiple rocket launchers, or from artillery or aircraft. They strike residential areas, including towns and villages.
Maryna thinks back to Avdiivka before to the start of the war as she gets ready for departure.
“A park and a boulevard were present. There were numerous stores. We grew trees. The scenery was stunning. We held numerous festivals and celebrations, as well as a cultural center.
She intends to come back someday. But as she takes refuge in her hometown’s destruction, she worries that there won’t be anything left for her to return to.
“There is no Avdiivka any more.”