**Rescue Mission in Ukraine: A Desperate Need for Help**
A Ukrainian aid organization, Base UA, is working tirelessly to evacuate civilians from the war-torn city of Pokrovsk. The city is under attack by Russian forces, and residents are facing a desperate situation.
**Fog Provides Some Protection**
As Anton Yaremchuk prepares to set off on another rescue mission, he’s grateful for the fog that will shield him and his colleague Pylyp from Russian drones hunting in the skies. Their armoured van provides some protection, but every journey could be their last.
**A Haven Turned Nightmare**
Pokrovsk was once considered a safe haven, with a big hospital and an evacuation train departing from the city. But now it’s being attacked night and day by Russian forces, who are closing in on the city.
**Evacuating Civilians**
Anton and his team have been evacuating civilians since Moscow‘s full-scale invasion in February 2022. They’ve managed to get about 3,000 people out of harm’s way, taking them away from front lines to safer areas. Pokrovsk used to be one of those places.
**Residents Face Hard Choices**
Olga, a 71-year-old resident, is waiting by the roadside with her luggage. She’s been in her house for 65 years and has had to leave everything behind. “It’s not life any more, it’s like hell,” she says. Some residents are hesitant to leave, despite the dangers.
**A Familiar Picture**
Anton’s rescue missions have become a familiar picture – elderly evacuees, memories, fears, and a sense of desperation. He’s seen this before in other war-torn cities, but it still hurts him every time.
**The Cost of Rescue Missions**
Rescue missions come at a cost, and it’s increasing. One of Anton’s teams was recently attacked by a Russian drone, leaving a 28-year-old British volunteer with severe injuries. The group has suspended evacuations from Pokrovsk and other front-line areas to regroup.
**Residents Wait for Help**
The remaining residents in Pokrovsk – mostly elderly – are at the mercy of Russian glide bombs and artillery, waiting for the city to fall. They’re left to face the harsh realities of war alone, with little hope of rescue.