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living in basements in frontline areas. They often spend months together with no
electricity, water, gas or fresh air, while battles rage above.
On a visit to Soledar, a town east of Bakhmut from which Ukrainian forces retreated
in January, he persuaded a woman to evacuate with her child. As they were leaving
with her, some of those staying in the basement swore at her and burned her
belongings.
Ivlev-Yorke said his experience in another a basement on the opposite side of the
road in Soledar was “completely different”, which he attributed to each basement
becoming its own “tight-knit community”.
He said people gave many reasons for not leaving, from having an elderly relative
who could not walk, or a dog they did not want to be separated from, to not
believing he would be able to arrange accommodation for them. Many of those he
encountered have already fled once.