The road to freedom: how seven people were breaking out of #Russia-occupied #Berdyansk for three days in an old ‘Lada Devyatka’ car.
Aliona Semko recounts the story 🧵
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Aliona Semko recounts the story 🧵
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"Where are you going? At least they don't shoot in here," I kept hearing from people around.
Like me, they felt uncomfortable under #RussianOccupation but fear of the unknown paralysed their desire to live free. Fear & uncertainty cost them freedom.
#RussiaInvadedUkraine
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Like me, they felt uncomfortable under #RussianOccupation but fear of the unknown paralysed their desire to live free. Fear & uncertainty cost them freedom.
#RussiaInvadedUkraine
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Before #UkraineRussiaWar, a 230-kilometre distance from Berdyansk, a port city west of #Mariupol, to #Zaporizhia in the Southeast of Ukraine could be easily done in 3 hours by minibus.
In May, this route took people fleeing Berdyansk three days.
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In May, this route took people fleeing Berdyansk three days.
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“After Russians occupied my city, they shut down all #Ukraine supermarkets in Berdyansk. All local goods disappeared. Instead, they got replaced by #Russia & #Belarus export goods at skyrocketing prices. Food markets & shops were mainly selling humanitarian aid supplies.”
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Life under #Russian occupation: a tube of Colgate toothpaste is being sold for 195 UAH (6,5 USD) in occupied #Berdiansk. You can buy the same toothpaste on the territory of #Ukraine for 45 UAH (1,5 USD).
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“The tension was palpable & almost impossible to get used to.
It felt like the city got several decades old: no internet or mobile connection, black marketers making money off the poor, patriotic military songs playing on the local radio…”
#Berdyansk #RussianUkrainianWar
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It felt like the city got several decades old: no internet or mobile connection, black marketers making money off the poor, patriotic military songs playing on the local radio…”
#Berdyansk #RussianUkrainianWar
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“I’ve been trying to find a car that would get me out of Berdyansk for the past three weeks.
I registered in different social media groups, posted messages & monitored announcements – alas, all in vain. The demand exceeded the supply.”
#UkraineWar #RussianAgression
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I registered in different social media groups, posted messages & monitored announcements – alas, all in vain. The demand exceeded the supply.”
#UkraineWar #RussianAgression
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Carriers refused to transport people for a long time because it was challenging for them to return. They could be waiting for weeks to be allowed back in occupied #Berdiansk. While waiting at the checkpoints, they would have spent everything they earned on lodging and food.
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Those who dared to make another trip from #Berdyansk to #Zaporizhzhia & back would ask for 200-250 USD per person. Others raised their fees from 1,000 UAH (~30 USD) per passenger at the beginning of #RussianOccupation to 2-3K UAH (~70-90 USD) in May.
#UkraineRussiaWar
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#UkraineRussiaWar
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After a failed evacuation attempt to #Zaporizhzhia with Israeli volunteers, I managed to arrange another trip with my friend’s husband.
Our initial plan was to pretend we're leaving for Crimea. #RussianSoldiers were letting people in through without a problem.
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Our initial plan was to pretend we're leaving for Crimea. #RussianSoldiers were letting people in through without a problem.
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“My son and I stayed overnight at my friend’s house, so we would set off at 6:00 am and join the evacuation convoy as soon as the curfew ended.
Hundreds of people have been waiting for this trip for several weeks. About 400 cars left #Berdyansk that day.”
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Hundreds of people have been waiting for this trip for several weeks. About 400 cars left #Berdyansk that day.”
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After #Melitopol, when the road split – one leading to Dzhankoy in Crimea & another to Zaporizhzhia, we came to a halt. No one was allowed to pass through the checkpoint in #Vasylivka.
We realised we would have to spend the night on the road.
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We realised we would have to spend the night on the road.
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“There were 7 of us in the old Lada car: 3 adults & 4 children aged 4-11 (my son & I, the driver & another lady, Nina, with 3 sons).
We tied white ribbons to the car door handles and placed paper sheets with "CHILDREN" written in big letters on each side of the car.”
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We tied white ribbons to the car door handles and placed paper sheets with "CHILDREN" written in big letters on each side of the car.”
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“The driver locked the back doors so children couldn't jump out on the road when they hear shelling or explosions.
That night was the worst night of my life. Children slept hunched over adults, and adults were afraid to shut their eyes.”
#RussiaUkraineWar
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That night was the worst night of my life. Children slept hunched over adults, and adults were afraid to shut their eyes.”
#RussiaUkraineWar
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For the 2nd day a long convoy of cars has been waiting to be allowed to cross into #Ukraine-controlled territory.
“Standing in the queue all day was boring. People tried to have as much fun as possible - lying on the grass, making flower chains, walking back & forth…”
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“Standing in the queue all day was boring. People tried to have as much fun as possible - lying on the grass, making flower chains, walking back & forth…”
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“Kids were finally able to stretch their legs and run around.
All sorts of pets: dogs, cats, hamsters, fish and even a Chinese sparrow Kiki have got some fresh air too.
We couldn’t help but feel like Kiki – as if we are birds locked up in cages.”
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All sorts of pets: dogs, cats, hamsters, fish and even a Chinese sparrow Kiki have got some fresh air too.
We couldn’t help but feel like Kiki – as if we are birds locked up in cages.”
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The whole day, #Russian soldiers at the occupation checkpoint kept changing the reasons for the delay:
We did not receive the order, #Ukraine refuses to let you through, there is an active fighting underway, finally, the truck got stuck in the mud and blocked the traffic.
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We did not receive the order, #Ukraine refuses to let you through, there is an active fighting underway, finally, the truck got stuck in the mud and blocked the traffic.
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The following day new cars joined the evacuation column, meaning at least 4,000 people in around 800 vehicles were detained at #Vasylivka checkpoint.
A rumour soon spread that we will be allowed to cross after the column of vehicles from #Zaporizhzhia pass through.
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A rumour soon spread that we will be allowed to cross after the column of vehicles from #Zaporizhzhia pass through.
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A young Russian soldier approached the convoy from #Berdyansk and shouted, “We’re looking for women with babies and pregnant women”, with apparent accent.
A few dozen women volunteered. He ordered them to line up in a separate column. We also joined the lucky evacuees.
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A few dozen women volunteered. He ordered them to line up in a separate column. We also joined the lucky evacuees.
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After a long wait in the “women’s evacuation column” 3 cars, including ours, managed to break out.
We passed through the rest of the checkpoints. At the last one we were stopped until the following day. We joined another convoy that’s been waiting to cross for past 4 days.
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We passed through the rest of the checkpoints. At the last one we were stopped until the following day. We joined another convoy that’s been waiting to cross for past 4 days.
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On day three, we were already in the car at 6 am waiting to set off, but the "rollercoaster" began again.
At first, we were told they would let us through at 8 am, then that we could leave at 9 am; after that they could not promise anything any longer…
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At first, we were told they would let us through at 8 am, then that we could leave at 9 am; after that they could not promise anything any longer…
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There was active fighting going on very close to the motorway, which upset the children who started to cry.
At 11 am, we were spared.
We left the last checkpoint & went on to drive through the muddy roads in the Kamyanske village. Mud is nothing if it leads us to freedom.
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At 11 am, we were spared.
We left the last checkpoint & went on to drive through the muddy roads in the Kamyanske village. Mud is nothing if it leads us to freedom.
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When we reached the first #Ukraine checkpoint, everyone burst into tears, both adults and children.
#Ukrainian soldiers handed out some sweets to the children and shook their hands. The boys were ecstatic.
We managed to get some rest in the centre for migrants.
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#Ukrainian soldiers handed out some sweets to the children and shook their hands. The boys were ecstatic.
We managed to get some rest in the centre for migrants.
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Volunteers recorded our data & escorted us to a tent where kids were given backpacks with colouring books. I received a warm blanket & some hygiene products.
We were offered free food & transportation. It turns out you can get for free to any city in Ukraine & even abroad.
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We were offered free food & transportation. It turns out you can get for free to any city in Ukraine & even abroad.
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After the last cars from the convoy showed up in the evening, my son & I took the Red Cross bus and went on the final stretch of our journey to freedom.
Most passengers, like us, did not want to stay overnight. The only way was forward but with no fear this time.
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Most passengers, like us, did not want to stay overnight. The only way was forward but with no fear this time.
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See the story in full:
texty.org.ua/articles/10672…
#Berdiansk #Melitopol #Zaporizhzhia #RussiaUkraineWar
texty.org.ua/articles/10672…
#Berdiansk #Melitopol #Zaporizhzhia #RussiaUkraineWar
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