Saved 150 people from shelling. The story of the struggle of a volunteer from Lysychansk for the lives of Ukrainians

[ad_1]

To save, to help, to support – these three driving forces gave Vladyslav Hurtovy the impetus to stay in his native Lysychansk until the occupation. In five months of tireless efforts, he managed to save one and a half hundred townspeople from shelling. “The war demonstrated the indomitability and strength of many Ukrainians. We realized how values ​​have changed. The most important thing is to survive and for your people to survive,” the man says. The story of the struggle of the brave volunteer-immigrant Vladyslav Gurtovy from the Luhansk region – in the special project “Ukrainian Truth. Life” “Hide Your Own”. “Stayed in his hometown until the end” Before the invasion of the Russian Federation, 23-year-old Vladyslav Gurtovyi was engaged in creativity – he organized entertainment events, was a presenter, a DJ. On February 23, 2022, he held a wedding, and the next day a full-scale war began. Volunteer Vladyslav Gurtovy was engaged in creativity before the war. At first, Vladyslav’s entire family – he, his mother and younger brother – stayed in Lysychansk. And when it became too dangerous, the man sent his relatives to Lviv. “I stayed in the city until the end, because at home and the walls of my family will help,” says Vladyslav. foreign, invading government”. Lysychansk became the last outpost of Luhansk region among all the large cities of the region. The fighting lasted until July 2022. Then, under the onslaught of the enemy, the Ukrainian military was forced to retreat. The city suffered both from air raids and shelling from large-caliber weapons. People sat in basements almost without a way out – they ran into their apartments only to get something they needed or to prepare food while it was still possible. Later, they cooked on fires near the cellars. Almost from the beginning of the great war, Lysichians were left without water. And since May – without other benefits of civilization: without electricity, gas, heating and communication. Everything was destroyed, the shelling did not stop for a moment. “The most terrible thing happened when people were cooking in the yard, and at that moment a projectile flew at them – and everyone died. People were also killed simply in lines for water. My friend’s grandfather died. And there was no way to even take him to the cemetery to bury him. , there were such heavy shellings. So they buried him in the kindergarten,” Vladyslav says sadly. When the bombardment began, the man took two keremats, a bulletproof vest donated by volunteers, money, documents – and settled in the corridor. As it turned out, all the essentials can fit in one small bag. “Looking into children’s eyes, it is impossible to stay away” No matter how hard it was on his soul because of the war, Vladyslav Gurtovy immediately started volunteering. Joined the work of the humanitarian headquarters organized in the school nearby. There they unloaded aid, put it in boxes and delivered it to people. “It was food, water, medicine, and hygiene products. Because the people of Lysych had none of that. People with disabilities needed special support,” Vladyslav recalls. Many elderly people remained in the city. And they critically lacked medicines: painkillers, cardiac, pressure and sedatives. It happened that volunteers delivered medicines on bicycles, because it was impossible to refuel the cars. The humanitarian worker at the headquarters was issued two or three times a week: somehow they set a kind of record – 1,500 people received help in one day. “We gathered a strong team, which became my second family. We supported each other in the most difficult moments. We understood that we are all ordinary people and now we are in the same boat: if we do not help others now, then it is possible that no one will help. Looking into children’s eyes and into the eyes of elderly people who are innocent in nothing, it is impossible to remain aloof,” says the volunteer. Once, during an air raid, the Russians dropped a bomb on the Palace of Culture, where about 50 people were hiding. Instantly – 10 dead. Vladyslav Gurtovyi helped to clear the rubble and retrieve the wounded. “Someone needed to wrap their leg, someone needed to smell ammonia, someone needed a sedative – everything needed to be done quickly,” the man recalls. “He explained to the people that they would have a roof over their heads and food.” At the same time, Vladyslav Gurtovy began to evacuate people from the hellish Lysychansk. At the end of March, there were about eight volunteers left in the city, and they were the ones who rescued the locals together with the State Emergency Service, the Red Cross and in collaboration with other volunteers from Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia and Kryvyi Rih. “Before the war, each of us was busy with our work: one was a miner, another was an educator, the third was an athlete. But we realized that we should help people, because they are our people,” the man says. Therefore, the volunteers tried their best to get as many residents as possible out of the dangerous city. They monitored where, who and how many remained, what should be taken out, what should not be taken out. They traveled around Lysychansk and informed the locals about the evacuation: where and when. Those who could not reach the place of departure were delivered by volunteers: either by their own transport, or they asked the police or rescuers. Many residents did not dare to leave the dangerous city. Someone did not want to leave their elderly parents. At the same time, elderly people said that they no longer have the strength for a new life and will stay at home no matter what happens. They also did not leave, because they did not believe that they could be provided with free shelter, and they did not have money for rent. “I explained that you will be accommodated free of charge, register as an IDP, and receive funds. And this is much better than what could happen to you here, in a city under fire,” Vladyslav recounts. A man talks about a personal tragedy without holding back tears. He was deeply affected by the death of a young volunteer: “We had a very young girl who helped us at the headquarters, she was 13 years old. I was forever persuading her to leave Lysychansk. I once gave her beautiful house mice that remained after the evacuation of the neighbors. And then on June 21, I I bring a humanitarian worker, and they tell me: “The girl is missing, she has died.” A shrapnel pierced her head. I roared for a long time at night. That’s how I couldn’t persuade her family to leave dangerous Lysychansk. Pity the girl. Her name was Nastya.” In June, the city was already closed to entry, evacuation became impossible. So the volunteers, risking their own lives, organized, so to speak, a “quiet” evacuation. “It was June 24, and this rescue was one of the most dangerous. With the help of the State Emergency Service, in an armored car specially designed for evacuation from the combat zone, we were able to take out seven people, just under fire. They were three people with disabilities and four old women, who could barely walk. They gathered them all over the city, persuaded them: I explained that they would have a roof over their heads, and food, and even warm water. So they agreed to leave for a safe place,” Vladyslav recounts. Thanks to his sincerity and courage, Vladyslav Hurtovy managed to save about 150 people from shelling and send them to a peaceful land. “We are driving, and shells are exploding behind the car” During the five months of the war, Lysychansk was destroyed by 60%. Entire residential areas, critical infrastructure facilities, and shops were destroyed. Driving through the city, one could see only burnt houses, fragments of shells and broken cables that hindered movement. “My heaviest shelling happened on June 28. We were taking medicine and food to Lysychansk. We are approaching the bridge, and it is blown up – you can see that it is literally about to, still smoking, burning. Suddenly – BANG – the shell explodes. We fall to the ground . The second time – BANG – another explosion, the ground shakes, debris falls like hail. And we are lying in an open area. We got up, jumped into the car and got out of there. And we didn’t know any other way. The city was almost completely surrounded, there were only a few small holes that could be used to get in. And we found them and brought medicine and food to the city,” the man says. Vladyslav Gurtovy was one of the last to evacuate from Lysychansk – on July 1. He admits that it was the most difficult day in his life. That night, the Russians roamed the city ungodly, everything was on fire. “A shell hit my house, a fire started. I helped the rescuers put out the fire. At that time, several families remained in the 9-story building, the rest left. Three fragments from the shells flew into my apartment – I found one of them in my bed. Damaged balcony, broken windows,” says the volunteer. That’s how Vladyslav realized that there was no point in staying – the Ukrainian military was leaving, the city was under occupation. The Luhansk Regional Military Administration helped to leave. “The local authorities allowed me to take an “ambulance” car for evacuation. At the same time, we received information that there were still wounded people in the hospital, and they also needed to be taken out. So we, together with another volunteer, rushed to the hospital and took a pregnant woman, an injured man and others there two girls. And they began to break through secret paths to Bakhmut. We are driving, and in the rearview mirror we see shells exploding behind the car. With God’s help, we broke through and saved people,” Vladyslav recounts. Before the invasion, 100,000 people lived in Lysychansk. At the time of the occupation, about 12-15 thousand remained. Others – who survived – became forced migrants, having lost their native home. “The war showed how people can support” From Bakhmut, Vladyslav left for Dnipro, where he rented an apartment and still lives there. Having recovered from the continuous shelling, I realized that life goes on, you have to hold on and move on. So he got a job at a charity fund providing financial assistance to displaced people like himself. Also recently, together with volunteers, humanitarian aid was transported to the de-occupied villages of the native Luhansk region. Vladyslav has no connection with Lysychansk. He mourns that his grandparents stayed there – it was not possible to persuade them to leave. He very much hopes to see them again, and dreams of receiving news from them. He recalls a situation when the connection in the city disappeared, and people could not convey messages to their relatives in other cities, so they brought Vladislav notes on which the phone number, where to send it, and the text were indicated. Because it was possible to access the Internet only at the humanitarian headquarters. Mostly they asked to convey: “Mom, dad, I’m alive and well.” Unfortunately, there were also sad messages. “Despite all the grief we have to go through, this war showed how people can unite, support each other and help. The war demonstrated the indomitability and strength of many Ukrainians. We realized how values ​​have changed. The most important thing is to survive and for your people to survive. And everything else will be added: we will rebuild the apartments, we will restore the cities,” convinced volunteer Vladyslav Gurtovyi. “As soon as my native Lysychansk is again under the Ukrainian flag, I will immediately return there. And it doesn’t matter what state the city is in, the main thing is that there is motivation to rebuild it. Because there are our people who are waiting for us, I’m sure.” *** On the “Shelter” website, caring Ukrainians can offer housing for displaced persons by placing a corresponding ad. Therefore, IDPs can find temporary shelter in any region of Ukraine or abroad, for a few days or for a longer period. The filter system will help you easily choose the option that meets your criteria and quickly contact the owner. The site works in 40 languages. This is a completely volunteer initiative. It was launched on the first day of the full-scale invasion by People’s Deputy of Ukraine Halyna Yanchenko. Later, the “Shelter” program received state support. Homeowners who sheltered displaced persons receive compensation from the state for the payment of communal services. Victoria Yarizhko, specially for UP. Life

[ad_2]

Original Source Link