Heard the echoes of explosions
Programmer from Kharkiv
Oleksandr's father was a fan of "Russian peace". "He did not believe my words that the war had started, saying that we have nothing to fear, Russia does not shoot at its own. It was impossible for him to believe that Russia had started a war," the man shares.
The first days of panic in the city were only reminiscent of long queues in shops and gas stations. And the news was terrifying. "The whole of Ukraine is on fire, multiple missile strikes on all cities," recalls Oleksandr.
It was terrible for the family
The enemy fired at military educational institutions and energy facilities. Oleksandr recalls: "Until the beginning of March, the city was hit by many missile strikes, probably by Kinjal or Iskander missiles. All large administrative buildings, the SBU, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Administration of Transport, the City Hall and many office premises were destroyed. Each explosion in the city intensified panic in my head, it was scary for the family." So Oleksandr offered his wife and children to leave.
Panic in the city grew
The man talks about how his family managed to evacuate to the Czech Republic and how difficult this path was. How the enemy continued to shell Kharkiv non-stop, destroying buildings and people's lives. He remembers the horrors he had to see on the roads to the recently de-occupied settlements of the Kharkiv region.