“We want to leave, but in which direction?”

On the second day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces are at the gates of Kiev. The fighting started Friday morning in the suburbs of the Ukrainian capital, with exchanges of fire and explosions. If thousands of Ukrainians have taken the decision to flee to the West and to neighboring countries, the inhabitants of Kiev protect themselves in basements transformed into bunkers to escape the fighting.

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Among them, Véra, a resident of the city center, who spent the first part of the day in the basement of her building: “I was woken up by explosions around five o’clock in the morning. The shelling seemed very close and they announced an air attack, so I went down with my neighbors in the basement and we heard shooting.” One of her friends then decided to join her on foot.

“He saw bodies in a military car. They were Russian soldiers, killed by our military force. When you watch government news, they say everything is under control, but I don’t feel safe.”

Vera, a resident of Kiev

at franceinfo

Near Kiev airport, Olga* spends the night at her parents’ house with her daughter. Very moved, she tells first “the explosions”then “shooting in the streets” : “We fired at our window. The bullet went through the glass and entered a cabinet in the kitchen.” She, who confides to jumping at each sound of explosion, crossed paths with Ukrainian soldiers, fleeing her house.

“We took two apples and a banana and hid in an underground car park, with maybe a hundred people. There, everything is silent, but about twenty minutes ago we heard gunshots. missile.”

Olga*, a resident of Kiev

at franceinfo

Olga* does not yet know where to go to escape the fighting: “We want to leave, but in which direction? We’re afraid of stopping and falling on missile fire. So we don’t take any risks and we stay in this parking lot, but I don’t know if it’s okay for us to save.”

For her part, Véra does not know where she will sleep next night: “I would like to spend the night in my bed, but it will depend on the situation outside”. The young woman does not want to leave her house in such circumstances.

“My neighbors are insisting that we leave, but it’s dangerous. I feel safer at home than going somewhere in a car.”

Vera, resident of Kiev

at franceinfo

Most Kyiv residents left the capital to flee the advancing Russian troops. The UN estimates that in two days, 50,000 Ukrainians left their country to take refuge in Poland and Moldova.

*Name changed