UZHHOOROD, in Ukraine and the border between Ukraine and Slovakia (Dagbladet): When the war in Ukraine has been raging for nine days, stepmother “Nataliia” does not dare to stay any longer in the city of Kyiv of a million people. The plane’s alarm went off continuously – and explosions and gunfire drew near.

– For three days we decided to go – and then not … It’s hard to decide what is best. In the end, we just went to the train station, said “Nataliia”.

Total mess

The mother-of-three wants to remain anonymous because she has many families in Russia, where she was born and raised. But then she met her husband, a Ukrainian, and settled in Kyiv. Now the future is uncertain.

– It was far for us to escape, but I did it because of our three children. A neighbor also asked me to bring his 16-year-old daughter so her parents could go to war. Then she joins in, saying “Nataliia”.

Dagbladet meets the woman and youngest daughter outside a school in the Ukrainian border city of Uzhhorod. They are completely white and torn in the face. Two weeks ago, they lived a completely normal life. Now they have experienced war – and the father of seven is now getting ready for war, 61 years old.

– He doesn’t have to take part in the war. Both because he has three children – and because of his advanced age. The kids asked her to come with us, but she refused, saying “Nataliia”.

many together

And takes us back to the train journey from hell. It was Friday morning. The man accompanied them to the magnificent railway station in Kyiv. No need to buy tickets. Tens of thousands of people huddled, close to each other, hoping to catch a train.

– The first train was so full that we had to wait for the next train. Then we got lucky and got helped into the second half, moments later. Women and children were pushed first. But for the cruel journey, mother said «Natalia».

The train journey from Kyiv to the border city of Uzhhorod takes 16-17 hours. The windows were closed and the curtains were drawn. The passengers were silent. The youngest children are allowed to sit, while the adults stand close together. Cats and dogs were also in the crowd. Going to the toilet was nearly impossible, as everything was dark – and crowded.

– We were in the compartment with other children, women and some animals. Everything was dark and no one said anything, he said and continued:

– Finally, many children started to panic. They screamed and panicked. Baby too. Breathing is also difficult, because the air is very bad, said the mother.

Miss Dad

Her seven-year-old daughter holds a colorful toy and hears her mother tell a story. Then he interrupted:

-I’m afraid of dogs. There were a lot of dogs there and I was afraid of them. And then I miss dad, said the seven-year-old.

Dagbladet has met a large number of women and children in the Ukrainian border town of Uzhhorod and at the border crossing into Slovakia. Most had fled the war by train.

– We first went from Odessa to Lviv, and then here to Uzhhorod. Mother is 66 years old and in poor health, so the train is an ordeal, said 46-year-old Oksana.

They carried only small bags containing the most important things: documents and medicine – and the warm clothes they were wearing.

– There is no place anymore, said Oksana.

Afraid of sound

On the bench directly behind Oksana sat her 66-year-old mother, clearly devastated and tired. The girls were completely silent in the school grounds where they had been given provocative protection. He looked blank in the air.

– In 2014, Angelina went to first grade. He was home alone when the war suddenly started. We all went home as fast as we could, and we fled from Luhansk to Odessa. But since then, Angelina has always been afraid of sound, her mother said.

He told everyone, both Ukraine and the rest of the world, to tell ordinary Russians about Putin’s ongoing war in Ukraine.

– The younger Russians know what’s going on, but not the older ones, who follow the Russian media. They were just lying, so now they have to understand what’s going on now, he said.

They lived in a classroom in Uzhhorod with a number of other Ukrainians who had fled the east. He didn’t know what to do next.

– I saw a lot of people leaving Ukraine, but I’ve never been abroad. Neither of us want it now. We want to be here, said Oksana.

fake news

One thing that worries all Ukrainians Dagbladet meets is to say that fake news and disinformation in Russia is huge.

– My family back home in Russia only believed in 20 percent of what I told them was happening. Instead, they sent me a link to the so-called live camera, which showed that everything was fine in Kyiv – or Kharkiv, said “Nataliia”, who was originally Russian herself.

Dagbladet has chosen to use only first names or anonymize the Ukrainians we have spoken to to avoid them receiving a large number of hate mail or messages.