'I don't want to die': Ukrainians living in fear as Russian invasion closes in
Related video above: Thousands of Ukrainians flee to Poland
Yurii Zhyhanov woke before dawn to his mother맥스카지노s screaming and found himself covered in dust. On the second day of Russia's invasion, shelling on the outskirts of Ukraine맥스카지노s capital, Kyiv, struck their residential building.
Many civilians, horrified to find their lives at risk, started to flee during the attack's first hours. Amid the smoke and the screeching of car alarms on Friday, Zhyhanov and his family packed and joined them.
맥스카지노What are you doing? What is this?맥스카지노 he said, addressing Russia and gesturing to the damaged building behind him. 맥스카지노If you want to attack military personnel, attack military personnel. This is all I can say.맥스카지노
His weariness and shock reflected that of his country as people climbed out of bomb shelters, basements and subways to face another day of upheaval.
Those who didn맥스카지노t wake to explosions were roused by air raid sirens. Then came the news that Russian forces had advanced to the capital's outskirts.
Russia has said it is not targeting cities, but the fighting seemed far too close.
The body of a dead soldier lay near a Kyiv underpass. Elsewhere, fragments of a downed aircraft smoked in a residential area. Black plastic was draped over body parts found amid the brick homes.
Armored personnel carriers drove down the city맥스카지노s streets. Soldiers on empty bridges established defensive positions. Residents stood uneasily in doorways of apartment buildings, watching.
Outside a monastery, a woman lifted her hands toward a mural of saints and appeared to pray. In the port city of Mariupol, a young girl named Vlada wished for the assault to stop.
맥스카지노I don맥스카지노t want to die,맥스카지노 she said. 맥스카지노I want all of this to end as soon as possible.맥스카지노
Uncertainty compounded the fear. On a street in the Obolon district, Associated Press journalists saw a military truck disabled, its tires deflated. The truck had no apparent insignia, and it was not clear if it was a vehicle that Ukraine's general staff claimed had been stolen by Russian forces aiming to disguise themselves as local ones.
Ukrainians picked through the damage left by shelling. And some mourned.
In the city of Horlivka, in the territory held by pro-Russian rebels, a body covered with a blanket lay outside a house that had been hit. A man standing nearby spoke on the phone.
맥스카지노Yes, Mom맥스카지노s gone, that맥스카지노s all,맥스카지노 he said. 맥스카지노That맥스카지노s it, Mom맥스카지노s gone.맥스카지노
The U.N. human rights office said it was receiving increasing reports of civilian casualties, with at least 25 deaths verified, mostly from shelling and airstrikes. 맥스카지노The figures, we fear, could be much higher,맥스카지노 agency spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said.
The urge to run away grew. Some civilians approached borders on foot, wheeling luggage behind them. 맥스카지노It맥스카지노s unfortunate that we got here in our old age, facing a war,맥스카지노 said Marika Sipos, who had left her home in Koson. She wiped her eyes.
At a train station just across the border in Poland, hundreds of people from Ukraine sought shelter. Some curled up on cots, trying to sleep. A woman stroked the hair of a young girl.
One of those at the station was Andry Borysov, who said he had heard the rush of something flying overhead and then an explosion as he hurried to catch a train out of Kyiv.
맥스카지노It was an unmistakable sound,맥스카지노 he said.
Some hesitated to leave, even as they stood on railway platforms.
In Kostiantynivka, a government-controlled area in the separatist-held Donetsk People맥스카지노s Republic, a woman who gave only her first name, Yelena, appeared undecided.
맥스카지노It맥스카지노s 50-50 on whether it is worth leaving or not,맥스카지노 she said. 맥스카지노But it wouldn맥스카지노t hurt to leave for a couple days, for a weekend.맥스카지노
Others leaving Ukraine knew it might take much longer before they could return home.