«People are very devastated, they are leaving with grief and pain» — a volunteer about evacuation in Kharkiv Region

Hostilities persist in the border regions of Kharkiv Oblast. Volunteers, local authorities, and the police are collaborating to carry out mandatory evacuations of people from hazardous settlements. Initially, individuals are transported to shelters in the Kharkiv region, followed by efforts to find them accommodation across Ukraine.

Dmytro Myshenin, head of «The Angels of Salvation» charity foundation, shared details with Hromadske Radio.

«The work continues, and its volume is increasing, but we are managing. People are receiving assistance, and we are fulfilling our duties. Though the security situation is challenging, we draw from years of experience in full-scale war.

We monitor the evacuated individuals and provide monthly summaries. Currently, I cannot specify the number of evacuees from the Kharkiv direction as we collaborate with other volunteers and the coordination center», — says Myshenin.

He mentions that the charity foundation operates along the entire frontline. Volunteers are dispatched by the coordination center to various settlements to evacuate people from locations where assistance is required. Myshenin notes that only local services are permitted to enter the most dangerous areas, so The Angels of Salvation do not operate there.

He adds that they haven’t encountered resistance from the population to evacuate, which is often the case.

«People are deeply affected; they leave with sorrow and anguish. We don’t need to convince anyone; we haven’t faced such situations.

Initially, our team transports people to various shelters in the Kharkiv region. Subsequently, they are relocated to different parts of Ukraine: some arrange their own accommodation, some are directed, and some are transported. There is much work to be done», — states the charity head.

Myshenin mentions the insufficient resettlement places as a challenge. «The Angels of Salvation» previously evacuated people from Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and Myshenin identifies the lack of space as the primary issue.

«There aren’t enough compact living spaces or housing for internally displaced people. We are doing our utmost, but this also requires significant effort from other organizations and authorities. The influx of people is substantial, making it difficult, but we are gradually accommodating them.

This is a resource issue; they are not infinite. Everyone is endeavoring to establish new shelters, locations, and settlements, but it’s a gradual process. For instance, repairing a shelter takes time», — explains Myshenin.

During evacuations, many individuals cannot bring their pets along due to transportation restrictions. Myshenin notes the challenge of acquiring resources for pet carriers. Some shelters cannot accommodate animals due to overcrowding, further complicating matters. However, efforts are made to assist with pet resettlement as there is demand for it.

According to Myshenin, most of the population from hazardous settlements has already been evacuated, but the work continues. Those in need of evacuation assistance can reach out to The Angels of Salvation hotline at 0800334620.