In Ukrainsk, Donbass, a volunteer rescuer evacuates the last Ukrainian civilians

The Russian army is only four kilometers from the small town of Ukrainsk in Donbass. The last civilians living under Russian bombardment are being evacuated.

Ukraine now controls nearly 1,300 m² of Russian territory in the Kursk region. But this should not make us forget that kyiv’s forces are currently retreating in Donbass, particularly near the city of Pokrovsk. The Russian army is only ten kilometers from this strategic city. It is even only four kilometers from the small town of Ukrainsk, which is on the outskirts of Pokrovsk. Franceinfo was able to follow a volunteer rescuer, tasked with evacuating the last civilians still living under Russian bombardment.

In the city, the inhabitants are hiding. In the streets, all that can be heard is the sound of strikes and the loud voice of Vlad, the rescuer in charge of the evacuation. “Are we at number 10 here? Is this the evacuation for you? Come on, let’s go!”he says. “There now?, Olga, a resident, answers him.. Do we have at least an hour? [pour se préparer] ?” “No, you don’t have an hour. Let’s go!” the rescuer answers him.

Olga rushes back to her room, her son Yura is on the landing with two big bags. “Two bags of clothes, that’s all we take, Olga continues. And if I can, my dog. It’s getting scarier and scarier here, she says. My mother said to me: ‘We will not spend another night in this place.'”

“There’s a dead body at the entrance of the building. Who’s going to take care of it?”

Yura, resident of Ukrainsk

to franceinfo

In the courtyard, Vlad the rescuer is getting impatient. “Move!”he says. “We’re coming, we’re coming”, answer the mother and son who run down the stairs, pick up the dog at the bottom of the garden and pass in front of the body of their neighbor killed by a blow.

We have to hurry, always faster. Vlad, near his van, gets angry: “Yura, damn… Run faster! Is that okay? Shall we start?” A few meters further, a young man waits at a dilapidated bus stop. Vlad takes him on board without hesitation.

On the main street, about ten people are waiting. Vlad takes two more. The artillery exchanges are incessant, Vlad’s van is full, a young man approaches. “My father is sick, he is almost immobile. What can we do?” he asks. “We can take it!, answers the rescuer. We’ll put his wheelchair in the trunk. I’ll be back here tomorrow around 10 o’clock. See you tomorrow!”

Then an old lady whispers to Vlad: “How much does the trip cost roughly? But we evacuate people for free! There is no scam!” Vlad says. Now they have to get going, the rescuer’s van is speeding towards Pokrovsk and the refugee centre. Olga can finally breathe.

“It’s a real relief. I’ll finally be able to sleep. I don’t even know how to thank them. Thank you very much.”

Olga, an evacuated resident

to franceinfo

As for Vlad, he is smiling. Everything went well, according to him: “It warms my heart to do this work, he confides. And maybe I’m also an adrenaline junkie.” So addicted that he’s been doing these rescue missions here every day for months.