Live From Ukraine, March 16: The Story Of One Refugee Who Fled To Poland

Valentyna Zakharchuk is a Ukrainian citizen who will provide daily on-the-ground updates of the Russian invasion for Benzinga.

Live From Ukraine, March 16 

The Story Of A Refugee In Eastern Ukraine: “I am a refugee from Luhansk region (eastern Ukraine). I remember waking up early in the morning. I was told to wait for the shelling in another part of the city. Without understanding anything, I grabbed a few things and left. On the same day a shell hit my parents' house," said Vira Dashevska. 

She said she spent 10 days in a basement, in a concrete box with a low ceiling. 

"I slept on chairs, half-sitting, because there was not enough space.

There were several attempts to leave the city. After the first failure — a lot of panic. And then a trip in a packed car with closed curtains. The doors did not open even at stations. Thousands of frightened people on the platforms. The train passed them without stopping."

After searching for accommodations in Lviv, Dashevska said she chose Poland. 

"Then there is the humanitarian headquarters, the bus, the train, and we are there.

All around - peace and quiet. And inside - exhaustion and anxiety. Nearby are gentle people who want to help. Even friends were found.

And most importantly - I have a constant feeling that God is near. There and here. In him is my hope. [He] continues to lead. He knows everything.”

News Updates

"After trying for a long time to leave the most dangerous places in Ukraine, people from the east of Ukraine were finally able to do it." In total, humanitarian corridors have managed to evacuate about 29,000 people from blocked cities today, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.

South-East of Ukraine: About 20,000 people left Mariupol via a humanitarian corridor in private cars. This was reported by Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Kirill Tymoshenko on Tuesday, March 15. Yet 20,000 people have already died there and the number of victims may increase, said Petrо Andryushchenko, an adviser to the mayor.

Southeast Ukraine: A humanitarian convoy and buses for the evacuation of citizens from Mariupol remained blocked in Berdyansk.

Northeast Ukraine: About 8,500 people are being taken out of the Sumy region per day.

Northeast Ukraine: 320 wards and employees of the Oskol psycho-neurological boarding house were evacuated from the Kharkiv region. “I, like many of my friends, make regular trips to Kharkiv. I’m bringing humanitarian aid there, and I’m taking back those who are fleeing the shelling,” Oleg says in a Telegram group.

Northeast Ukraine: On March 16, an evacuation is planned to begin from the city of Izyum. The city has been under siege by Russia for two weeks. There is no water, light, heat and medicines in the settlements. Survivors under shelling are dying from disease and lack of medicine. Medical assistance is not provided. This was announced by Deputy Mayor of Izyum Vladimir Matsokin on Facebook.

East Ukraine: Ministers of the churches of the Donetsk regional association write in a telegram: “The long-suffering Donbass, Volnovakha, Donskoye, and Mangush are temporarily occupied by Russian troops. Mariupol is in a long siege under crushing shelling. The whole country is praying for the inhabitants of the port city-martyr. We use the opportunities to evacuate refugees, deliver humanitarian supplies and help local residents. We make food packages, help the poor. Believers from Pokrovsk bake bread, helping to save many in need from hunger. Churches from Druzhkovka, Kramatorsk, Pokrovsk, Slavyansk and Vremenny Yar are working especially powerfully.”

Kyiv is seeing shelling of high-rise buildings and fires and destruction on the ground.  

The Russian Federation hit the metro station in Kyiv.

On the night of March 15, Russian troops attacked several districts of Kyiv at once. Residential buildings, office buildings and a metro station were damaged. There are civilian casualties. The bodies of two dead were found, and 35 people were rescued.

As a result of the night shelling of Kyiv, many blast waves damaged the facade of the building of the Lukyanovska metro station and office premises. This was reported on the morning of Tuesday, March 15, by the press service of the Metropolitan.

“I thought about what to do every day. I have a small child. Staying there is suffering. It's good that I left the city earlier. And I saw only the small part of this horror, ” said Iryna Roganova, a resident of Kyiv.