Rostyslav Ivanyk

“We had a very unpleasant feeling of so-called operational encirclement. Knowing that the road leading to Shchastia through the fields wasn’t all that reliable and could be cut off any moment, leaving us completely surrounded. Full encirclement is a very unpleasant thing. We were used to shelling, used to going to the bathroom fast because you might not come back. But this constant feeling that you could be trapped in a cauldron was the most unsettling. When you’re under constant shelling, you’re kind of ready for it. Maybe some people can cope with this feeling. But it was hard for me. So, we tried our best, we kept working – as the day of our departure approached, there were more and more wounded…”