Lydia was lately rescued from the Azovstal iron and metal plant after two months of Russian bombardment. She doesn’t wish to inform us her actual title and the place she is at present residing, for concern of endangering her mother and father who’re nonetheless in Mariupol.
In her first days in a safe place nonetheless in Ukraine, she remains to be very disoriented and scared. She says she wanted per week earlier than with the ability to converse with anybody about her scenario. Her face appears to be like drained and pale, and her eyes are stuffed with terror — which solely eases as she begins talking about how her evacuation convoy lastly reached its vacation spot.
DW: How did you come to be on the Azovstal metal plant, and the way lengthy had been you there?
Lydia: I labored within the manufacturing facility and I knew that it had specifically outfitted air raid bunkers. On March 6, when the bombardments grew to become an excessive amount of to bear, my husband and I made a decision to seek out security within the basement there. I knew it was secure. However we thought we would solely be there for a few days. In the long run, we had been there for 2 months.
Some evacuated civilians, seen right here, had been taken to a refugee camp within the village of Bezymyannoye
How many individuals sought refuge there?
That is onerous to say; throughout the previous couple of weeks nobody bothered counting anymore. To start with there have been about 30 of us, however folks had been all the time coming and going, new folks arrived. At one level we figured there have been about 47 of us, however the numbers had been consistently altering. Earlier than the evacuation it was inconceivable to say simply how many individuals had been there.
Ukrainian authorities have stated the manufacturing facility was below fixed bombardment. Was it ever attainable to go away the bunker?
To start with we had been in a position to go exterior for longer stretches, however when the bombardments began to select up we solely went out to prepare dinner on the fireplace pit. In the long run we simply stayed within the bunker. There are tunnels down there the place we cooked. From about April 20, we now not went exterior. We did not exit for the final two weeks.
The place did you get meals?
There have been provisions within the bunkers, positioned there by the manufacturing facility’s directors. However there wasn’t a lot — simply sufficient for a couple of days. The bunkers had been constructed within the Nineteen Sixties when nobody thought folks could be there for very lengthy. There have been canned items, water, cookies and preserved meat. We stretched it so far as we might by making soup out of all of it. To start with new arrivals would carry meals, blankets and heat clothes with them. However not everybody shared their meals. Some ate below their blankets. Everyone seems to be totally different.
This week, service members of the Ukrainian forces had been additionally evacuated from the plant
What sort of assist did the Ukrainian army present? Russian propaganda claimed they pressured you to remain at Azovstal towards your will.
No, my husband and I left and returned to the bunker a number of instances whereas it was nonetheless attainable. However when the heavy bombardments began we needed to keep within the bunker. Typically troopers got here in. They introduced sweets for the kids. They advised us we had been free to go exterior however on the similar time they warned us concerning the huge bombing.
Had been there sick or wounded folks within the bunker with you? Was anybody in a position to assist them?
There have been no wounded, however there have been individuals who wanted medical help. I wanted assist myself. I’ve a blood dysfunction and wish day by day injections however nobody might get them for me. There have been additionally individuals who wanted day by day insulin injections however they could not get them. One man had such excessive ache in his arm that he want painkillers. He screamed all evening lengthy.
Are you aware individuals who volunteered to go to the Donetsk area? Was it clear to you the place you’ll be taken in the course of the evacuation?
We knew completely nothing. Our troopers got here in and advised us we had 5 minutes to get our issues collectively and go exterior to be evacuated. Those that had prepared backpacks obtained up and left. I do not know who was taken to Donetsk or Russia. Once we obtained exterior we had been greeted by folks from the UN and the Crimson Cross. They advised us we had been secure and that nobody would shoot at us. We might select the place we needed to go after we had been filtered.
The place precisely did that filtration happen?
I do not know. It was at a spot I had by no means been earlier than.
What occurred in the course of the filtration?
[Long pause, as Lydia drops her head and closes her eyes] I am not going to speak about that.
How lengthy was the journey from the Azovstal plant to the place the place you got shelter?
I do not know. I am unable to even estimate. We left the Azovstal plant at evening and arrived on the filtration level round midnight. After that we drove for a very long time.
Who met you at your vacation spot? Did you obtain assist?
We had been very warmly welcomed! We obtained contemporary clothes and new sneakers and we might wash up. Folks got here and had been consistently bringing us meals, hygiene merchandise and different issues. We had completely no issues. We had been put up in a separate room the place we might keep comfortably and get a pleasing sleep.
Do you have got a spot to remain now? Do you propose to journey on?
I actually do not know. I am nonetheless unsure what precisely occurred. First I simply wish to relaxation. That is all.
This interview was performed in Ukrainian by Alexander Sawizkij