After weeks in Kharkiv’s metro, locals emerge to a devastated city

After three months dwelling in an underground metro station, Natalya, 62, speaks to Euronews within the relative plush environment of an previous college students’ dormitory.

Exterior, in Kharkiv — Ukraine’s second metropolis that sits simply 40 kilometres from Russia — air sirens are at full pitch. Then explosions. 

“It’s far-off,” says Natalya, nodding in direction of the window, barely even noticing it. 

Kharkiv was one of many first cities to come back underneath heavy bombardment. Final month, Ukrainian forces pushed the Russians again to villages on the town outskirts. However after a comparatively calm few weeks, Kharkiv stays inside vary of their artillery. 

‘Day by day appears like Groundhog Day’

In the beginning of the battle, Natalya’s household lived within the basement of their high-rise constructing in Northern Saltivka, a working-class space on the outskirts of Kharkiv, which took the brunt of Russian bombardments. 

After Grad rocket programs shelled Natalya’s house and neighbouring homes started to break down, she and her household shortly grabbed their belongings and rushed to the metro. 

“The way in which from house to the subway I’ll keep in mind to the tip of my days,” Natalya advised Euronews, describing how she ran with a bunch of individuals alongside a snow-covered street as shells rained down.

“I packed my baggage in a rush and even took plenty of jam. It was arduous work carrying these baggage due to the jars, so each two metres I ended and took one in every of them out,” says Natalya with a smile.

She thought initially she’d be there for a few weeks, a month, most. “We hoped that this nightmare would finish quickly, that Russia would cease,” she recalled.

However the bombs continued to hit Kharkiv’s residential buildings. One broken Natalya’s residence, scorching any hopes they’d be capable of return house any time quickly. 

Whereas Natalya has a roof over her head, she struggles together with her household being divided: her two daughters-in-law and grandchildren have left Ukraine.

Natalya says she feels trapped: “Day by day now feels like Groundhog Day. I get up day-after-day and nothing modified.”

Requested if she would think about leaving Kharkiv — tens of 1000’s have already achieved so — she says provided that the Russians occupied the town, one thing that fills her with concern. 

For now, Natalya is caught within the dormitory, together with most of the individuals she lived alongside within the metro.

“I walked the streets and did not recognise my metropolis, my district. It wasn’t my life,” mentioned Natalya, recounting the time she returned house to her residence to select up some belongings. 

Saltivka, densely populated earlier than the battle, was one in every of Kharkiv’s most broken areas. In its northern district, 70% of residential buildings and infrastructure are broken or destroyed. 

‘They ran to the metro in coats and slippers’

Natalya and her household lived on the Heroiv Pratsi (Heroes of Labour) station, a well-liked spot for these sheltering from the bombs. 

“Now there are about 50 individuals left right here, about 20 extra come to spend the night time,” mentioned Vyktor, a volunteer helper on the station. 

“Earlier than there have been many extra, then a lot of them left. Solely those that don’t have any place to go, or who’re afraid to stay underneath shelling, stay.”

“When the battle has begun, they ran to the subway in coats and slippers,” remembers the volunteer. “They’d nothing. Then we offered all the pieces they wanted: blankets, pillows, slippers, and mattresses. Volunteers put an electrical tandoor within the subway and baked bread for individuals.”

Metropolis officers restarted the metro on 24 Might, arguing the transfer would assist revive the metropolis’s financial system. Authorities advised these nonetheless on the station they’d be progressively resettled in dormitories in protected elements of the town. However not everyone seems to be eager on the concept. 

“Is the battle already over?” requested Dmytro, sarcastically. “I do not wish to die.” The 38-year-old has been hiding underground along with his mom and cats since 27 February. He cannot return to his broken residence and he would not really feel protected going to a dormitory.

Iryna, 42, has related sentiments. The 42-year-old moved together with her husband and ten-year-old son from the metro to a dormitory however would not really feel any safer. The household, from Danylivka, a northern suburb of the metropolis, had been on the metro station for 3 months. Unaware of whether or not their house remains to be intact, they do not wish to return whereas the specter of shelling stays.

“Lots of them have been terrorized even stepping out of the metro,” added Vyktor. “Some have not been out for months. Understandably individuals are afraid now since they’ve seen buildings collapse in entrance of them.”

Some, even after they have been relocated, returned to the metro. 

Olena, 35, along with her three youngsters, didn’t final lengthy within the sanatorium the place they have been positioned. As shelling started, the lady grabbed her youngsters and returned. 

“If we’re not kicked out, we can be within the subway till the tip of the battle. That night time, when there was shelling, the kids advised us to return to the subway.”