Russia’s military aggression, despite the de facto failure of its 2025 summer campaign, is gaining momentum on the western edges of Donbas and in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Despite proposals from certain countries for Ukraine to accept Russian President Vladimir Putin’s peace initiatives in exchange for its own territories, signs suggest he has no intention of stopping at Donbas. Furthermore, Russian forces crossed the border of Donetsk region and entered the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region several months ago.
So far, only a few settlements in this neighboring region are under enemy control, however, the reach of enemy artillery, guided aerial bombs, as well as drones, is expanding, affecting dozens of villages and some towns. The Russians are systematically killing civilians, taking them hostage, and destroying any vehicles that try to leave the combat zone.
Intercepted Russian radio communications reval direct orders to kill civilians in villages. In one such interception, the invaders killed an entire family and used the child as a hostage. The Russian commander ordered troops to “remove the bodies of the adults so the girl doesn’t see.”
That is why volunteers, the regional authorities, and the national police, are conducting a mass evacuation of the population from the community nearest to the enemy – the town of Pokrovske.
We see that life in this small town seems to be buzzing but – in reality – the front is very close. In a straight line, it is 15 kilometers from here to the “zero line,” and drones and guided aerial bombs can now reach the town itself.
It is here that evacuees from villages closer to the front are brought. Those who manage to escape the hell say they did so almost at the last minute, after their neighbor’s houses were already destroyed.
“It’s very scary, what can I say?... If the Russians are nearby, everything around us is already being shot at… This is impossible to survive” says evacuated pensioner Tetyana.
The White Angels
Evacuations are carried out both by volunteers and by a special police unit – “White Angels.” The “Angels”, as locals call them, drive to the most dangerous villages, often risking their lives, rescuing those who chose to stay to the last possible moment, not understanding the danger or unable to find the courage to leave their homes.
Mykhailo is one of them. He has worked in the unit for more than a year, survived an injury, but chose not to leave service. He says that, just recently, he and his comrades have managed to evacuate more than 1,000 people from the combat zone.
“The number has definitely gone over 1,000. Just since the end of July, together with a Dnipropetrovsk crew, more than 1,300 people were evacuated from Pokrovske Hromada,” Mykhailo says.
He has witnessed how the Russians systematically destroy everything in their path, bomb houses without checking whether or not there are people inside, nor whether they are military or civilian.
“I was constantly a witness to civilian transport being hit, and there were strikes on settlements where mostly civilians were located,” Mykhailo recounts.
He also explains how he came under enemy fire. The Russians, who in their words “liberate” territories, in reality attack everyone who tries to escape.
“We were in Velykomykhailivka and tried to persuade a man who was with his two elderly parents to leave. While we were doing that, three [guided aerial bombs] flew in, about 200 meters from us… and then a [drone] hit us.”
We go with Mykhailo to one of the villages where a woman and her daughter are waiting for evacuation. They had already once fled Donbas – about a year ago – then returned. Now, again.
Volunteer efforts
The White Angels are not alone in carrying out evacuations. Volunteers who work with the regional administration also evacuate people, primarily the elderly. We go to pick up one such person with the crew – Daria and Vitalii – in a neighboring village.
It’s quiet here today, but the front is 10 kilometers away. Enemy drones or artillery fire can begin at any moment. The address was given incorrectly, so we search further. We finally find Lyudmyla Kravets near her house, but we didn’t know the 78-year-old could not easily walk.
Once she’s finally in the car, we speed away from the settlement. She says the village is constantly enduring shelling with only small pauses.
“There are no villages left, it’s all ruins. And now they have reached us,” Lyudmyla tells us.
Lyudmyla’s father fought in the Second World War against the German Nazis. She is now forced, as she says, to flee from new invaders.
“By profession I’m an agronomist. I finished agricultural agronomy, and my father was at war in the army from 1938 and returned in 1946. I often think, he fought the whole war for what?” says Lyudmyla.
After the rescue operation, the displaced are registered, distributed, and taken to special assistance and settlement sites.
Alina Subotina coordinates the volunteers. She says that thousands of people have already been saved, though just as many remain.
“My team works every day and helps people both from Donetsk region and from Dnipropetrovsk region. In the last three months, my team with partners evacuated about 5,000–6,000 people,” says Alina.
However, volunteer work is not limited to evacuation only. In the villages, they also conduct alerts. The group is led by Volodymyr – he and his church also provide shelter assistance.
“My wife and I lost our home in Donetsk twice,” says Volodymyr. When we left in 2014, there was no medicine or food in Donetsk, and as soon as movement was restored, I immediately took my wife and son out… We understand what it is to lose everything, and there is a desire in our heart to help people,” he says.
“The Lord spared us… And this is already like my calling – to help people… Life was given to us not so that we would just get richer,” the volunteer adds.
Fleeing the fighting, people try to take everything they can while there is a chance. Beekeeping is popular in these southern lands and people evacuate the most valuable things – beehives included.
“We have special vehicles, but now this is unacceptable… it’s impossible to haul refrigerators when drones are flying around. The main thing is to take documents with you. We try to help people – clothes, household chemicals, one-time financial payments. The church gives something, partners give something, the state gives something,” says Volodymyr.
And while the fighting continues and the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are trying to hold their positions, Volodymyr, Mykhailo and other heroes do their work every day. They say that Ukraine will never retreat from its land. And that it will not stop helping its people.
“The thought that I can do something good and help people warms me,” notes Mykhailo.
“No one [here] will give anything away. Ukraine will not give up its territories… Dozens of people died for their homes, and this is beyond politics… this is life. This is a home that all our people fight for, so that their children and grandchildren can live in their own home. That’s it,” says Volodymyr.
You can find a recap of this story here.