The echo of explosions in Lysychansk became familiar from the very first day of the full-scale invasion, and life instantly lost its usual landmarks.

The decision to evacuate was hard for the Bondar family. But it was unbearable for the parents to see their children – Vitalina and Afeliia – hiding with neighbours in a semi-basement from constant shelling.

Roman and Nina themselves volunteered, delivering food to residents all over the district. They could not leave those who were nearby and needed help.

But the moment came when they realised they could not stay any longer.

They evacuated together with their neighbours.

The journey was a real ordeal: a half-paralysed man was travelling next to them, the shelling did not stop, there was not enough transport, and in the buses people were not just standing – they were hanging onto each other. Then came an equally overcrowded suburban train. At an intermediate station, strangers – but kind people – gave them shelter for the night. And in the morning they were back on the road, heading for Dnipro.

The city greeted them with a night-time siren and a crowd at the station. The queue for the waiting room stretched all night long.

Nina desperately looked for a way to get to the temporary shelter that had been arranged in advance. Because of the curfew, it was almost impossible to find transport.

Police officers agreed to help and drove the family to the shelter.

In the new place, they have settled in as well as possible in this situation. Nina works as the shelter administrator, and Roman helps her with everything.

Today Afeliia attends an online kindergarten and the day care centre for children at the shelter for displaced people.

The elder, Vitalina, has enrolled in a design college in Dnipro.