A small group of civilians get out of an armored vehicle, with their few belongings in their hands, a dog, a cat… After experiencing the shelling in Bakhmut for months, they finally decided to leave the center of the fighting in eastern Ukraine.

Arriving in Chasiv Yar, a Ukrainian city also under siege by Russian forces, Liubov cries, clutching Margot, her chihuahua. “We should have left earlier, we didn’t think all this could happen” the woman repeats.

Since last summer, Russian forces have been trying to capture this city, where 70,000 people lived before the war. A few thousand remained in their homes, despite street fighting, constant pounding and attempts by the Russian army and Wagner’s mercenaries – at heavy cost – to take the city.

The Russians say they have reached the center of the city, and Wagner’s head, Yevgeny Prigozhin, says he has control of the town hall and therefore the city, “from a legal point of view”. A claim denied by Kiev and not confirmed by Moscow.

Liubov says she doesn’t know how many civilians remained in Bahmut: “We were in a basement, we didn’t see anyone.”

The Ukrainian soldiers who removed this group took half an hour to cover the 17 kilometers that separate Bakhmut from Chasiv Yar.

Liubov hopes to settle “as soon as possible” in Kharkiv, in northeastern Ukraine, a few kilometers from the Russian border. Along with the other evacuees, he will spend the first night in the Kostanidinivka reception center, 20 kilometers away, a soldier said, because Chasiv Yar is also unsafe. Moments after they leave, a shell whizzes over the journalists’ heads, in this city where Ukrainian tanks and armored personnel carriers come and go.

A soldier involved in evacuating two families and a lone woman from Bahmoud said it is very difficult to estimate how many residents remain hidden in the basements. Maybe somewhere around 1,000 to 5,000. And the soldiers aren’t actively looking for them, some just “come out and say they want to leave.”

A colleague recounted that this was the second time in a week that their unit had rescued civilians. Those left behind “hope everything goes well.”

“But there is a battle for every building, the chances that their house will remain intact are minimal”, comments. Despite the fighting, access is “easy” for Ukrainian soldiers, he assures, refuting Prigozhin’s claims. “Raising a flag doesn’t mean they took the city, the situation is under control”says.

“In our sector, the enemy tried to counterattack, but suffered losses. About 30 were killed and they don’t try it anymore.” he continued, admitting however that in other areas “the situation can be complicated.”

Even if Bahamut falls, “we’ll get her again” the soldier assures, citing as an example Kherson, the major city in southern Ukraine, which was recaptured by the Ukrainians in November.