A forced evacuation in the Dnipropetrovsk region was announced back in September. It will continue until tomorrow, 16 October. The process itself begins with a phone call. The Ukrainian Red Cross hotline receives a request — people are asking for help to leave. Coordinators call back to clarify all the details: how many people, whether there are animals, what luggage. This determines which vehicle will be sent to rescue them.
At seven in the morning, the team leaves Dnipro. They usually try to evacuate several people from one settlement, so several groups take part in each rescue mission. Before departure, they meet to agree on the route and communication. This time, the road leads to the village of Pokrovske. Until recently, about ten thousand people lived there.
A few kilometres from the front line
Five to ten kilometres before Pokrovske, the cars stop. The evacuation team has two tasks: to put on personal protective equipment — bulletproof vests, helmets, goggles — and to make a control call to those they are transporting. They ask the main questions: is everyone there and is everyone ready? They ask them to have everything prepared — belongings, documents, animals in carriers.
After that, they turn on a device called ‘Tsukorok.’ It reacts to enemy drones in the sky. If it detects danger, the team knows they need to stop and seek cover. This time, the sky is clear, and the convoy moves on.
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Thirty seconds to say goodbye
The teams split up to cover different parts of Pokrovsk. Four people who have decided to evacuate are waiting on one of the streets. Everything happens extremely quickly. In half a minute, the suitcases are in the boot, the people are in the car, and the doors are locked. Two dogs and a house remain behind the gate. The neighbours will look after the animals. Not everyone leaves immediately.
Tsukorok continues to work in the car, and the passengers get to know those who are transporting them. The head of the rapid response team explains that they are evacuating everyone who needs it — children, adults, people with limited mobility, even pets, if there is a carrier. He also reminds his passengers of the phone number they can call for help. Namely, +380975664680 — the hotline of the Rapid Response Team in the Dnipropetrovsk region. After a brief introduction, the convoy returns to the assembly point, where they change from their bulletproof vests into civilian clothes. In addition, the evacuees receive their first set of humanitarian aid. This is a food package that includes several instant porridges, freeze-dried food, water, coffee, tea, biscuits and disposable tableware. In short, everything you might need in the first few days in a new place.
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First refuge — Voloske
The road then leads to the village of Voloske — the first stop for those leaving the mandatory departure zone. Voloske is not a state centre, but several non-governmental organisations operate here. People receive financial support — over ten thousand hryvnias, food parcels and hygiene products. Lawyers and psychologists work nearby. There is also an administrative services centre and a medical office on site.
If you do not have a place to stay, you can stay at the transit centre for up to three days. During this time, they will help you find temporary shelter. The centre can accommodate over a hundred people at a time. There is a boiler room, a generator, hot water and electricity. The Ukrainian Red Cross has installed a large concrete shelter nearby so that people have somewhere to hide in case of a new attack.
On to the train station or a new home
After registration and a short rest, the evacuees are transported further. The Ukrainian Red Cross team takes some people to the train station, helps them board the train, and takes others to relatives in Dnipro. Everyone has their own destination, but they all have one thing in common: they have left their homes behind and have a chance for peace and a new life ahead of them.
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