Ukrainians leaving Bakhmut describe constant shelling, fear and cold

Ukrainians fleeing Bakhmut described Russian shelling almost daily that forced them to hide in basements and stay in the freezing cold.

Bakhmut, a city of 80,000 people, was the epicenter of the brutal warfare that is taking place along the eastern front. In recent weeks, enemy positions rarely moved more than a few hundred metres.

According to military experts, Bakhmut is of minimal strategic importance. However, Russian forces, including mercenaries fighting on behalf of the Wagner group, have in recent days increased their bombardment.

"The house would shake, and every second or minute you expected it to crumble around your face and it would," said Valentyna. Valentyna, a 70-year-old retired woman, fled Tuesday because she couldn't sleep for the past week.

She declined to reveal her full name.

Bakhmut was most well-known for its champagne-style, Soviet-era wine, and the nearby salt mine.

After suffering humiliating defeats on the battlefield against foes that they thought could be overcome, Moscow's capture of it by Russian forces would mark a rare bit of good news.

Both sides may suffer heavy military losses in Bakhmut, despite the fact that fighting has been ebbed-and-flowing since May. However, there are no reliable estimates.

The regional governor stated that less than 12,000 people remain in towns that have suffered serious damage.

'WHAT ARE THEY WAITING FOR?'

Leonid, a 37 year-old military chaplain, drove a van into Bakhmut in order to evacuate civilians.

He described the scene as one of devastation with elderly people on the streets, and humanitarian aid workers covered with soot from fighting fires.

Recent footage taken from Bakhmut has shown areas that are largely deserted, buildings burning or badly bombed, and frequent bursts with gunfire.

Leonid said: "The situation in Bakhmut is terrible because there is constant bombardment, constant attacks."

He added: "When we arrived in Bakhmut there were fires to both the left and right."

Valentyna was evacuated by Leonid's van and headed to Pokrovsk, Ukraine-controlled Pokrovsk for her journey to Kyiv.

According to the pensioner, she had to leave her apartment because of the cold and lack of central heating.

It was freezing. "We slept in temperatures of 3° Celsius in the house, under three blankets.... You lose your faith," she said. She also said that Bakhmut was home to many others.

"Whereever the men picked me up, there is a basement nearby. There's also a kindergarten there. There are many people there."

Leonid stated that around 60 people, including 15 children, were gathered at the van's stop, but they declined his offer to take them out.

"I begged them. They refused to go. He said that some people came up to me and asked for my number. It was a grandma, who had her apartment destroyed, and two other women with children.

"People still wait for everything to end, even though the situation has become more dangerous. People still cry but stay. We don't know what we are waiting for."

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