The white armoured police van speeds into the eastern Ukrainian town of Bilozerske, a steel cage mounted across its body to protect it from Russian drones.
The police, known as the White Angels, try to limit their time in Bilozerske as they work to evacuate civilians from the front lines. The town, previously a vibrant mining community, has been ravaged by conflict, with an estimated 700 inhabitants remaining from a pre-war population of 16,000.
Calls for evacuation resonate amid the destruction, with an estimated 218,000 people in the Donetsk region needing urgent relocation. As one woman hesitates to leave her belongings behind, many grapple with the increasingly dangerous environment created by the new threats posed by drones.
Some, like 73-year-old Volodymyr Romaniuk, face their own choices in the empty streets, salvaging personal items even at considerable risk from drones, all while confronting the trauma of loss in a war that has deepened their challenges.
In other areas like Slovyansk, residents confront different forms of danger, yet many choose to stay despite the imminent threat. The emotional weight of leaving their homes is profound, with heart-wrenching stories of loss and loyalty echoing through the lingering echoes of war.
Even as physical safety measures are enacted through evacuation plans, the intertwined fears of losing property, memories, and connections run deep, making each choice a harrowing calculation amidst unrelenting hostilities.
The humanitarian toll rises, underscoring the urgent need for clarity and support in troubled times, as some civilians cling to the hope of remaining in the land that has defined their lives.
