Residents of Selydove, Ukraine are alarmed after the capture of Avdiivka by Russian forces, prompting many to leave for safer areas after months of living under constant hostile fire. Most of those fleeing are elderly, having endured the destruction of their districts and now feeling threatened by the encroaching front line. Providing them with assistance is the evacuation charity “East SOS”, but the situation remains challenging.
Many of the elderly residents in Selydove are barely mobile, requiring assistance to evacuate to safer locations. People like Maryna Batrak are worried about the Russian forces reaching their town, saying, “Another 20-30 km and that’s it. They will destroy us too. Have you seen how those cities were wiped off the face of the earth?”
Valentyna Kitush, who was also leaving Selydove, expressed concern over the intensified shelling following the fall of Avdiivka, emphasizing the need to leave before it gets worse. The capture of Avdiivka represented a significant shift in the ongoing war, with Russian President Vladimir Putin indicating a further push into Ukraine.
As evacuations took place in Selydove, volunteers helped residents, including those with disabilities, board a minibus headed to the train station in the town of Pokrovsk. At the station, volunteers assisted residents in carrying their belongings onto the train, including an infant and a man with an amputated leg. The atmosphere lightened momentarily when a volunteer brought a caged parrot into one of the train compartments.
In Kurakhove, another town at risk of Russian shelling, residents are preparing for the worst, acknowledging the increased proximity of the front line and the constant threat they face.
While the situation remains dire for many residents in eastern Ukraine, the solidarity and assistance provided by volunteers and charities offer a glimmer of hope amidst the devastation caused by the ongoing conflict.
(Writing by Ron Popeski; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
