In desperation, Yulia decided it was best for her to get as close as possible to Izyum. In Dnipro, halfway to Izyum, she joined up with a group of volunteers delivering humanitarian aid to villages around her hometown.
“The locals told us about a lot of horrible stuff, everything had been destroyed by bombs,” Yulia recalls. “The day before our arrival they had had to collect the remains of children whose house had been hit by a bomb.”
Along with the horrible stuff came a nugget of information. Village residents told Yulia about a secret route to Izyum, via a forest, which was, however, occupied by Russian forces.
Evacuation basics
Yulia says there are three basic rules for getting family out of an occupied city.
Given that Russian soldiers can seize cars at checkpoints, it’s wise to use the worst-looking car possible, and one that runs on petrol. Russian military vehicles use diesel, which is always in short supply.
Wear a white bandage on the arm while travelling to signal civilian status, although this is not obligatory.
Do not take a smartphone, but an old one without a camera.
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