Life at the front: "You shoot, we hide - that's it."

Created: 02/20/2022, 22:09

By: Lucas Maier

Three women stand at the scene of an explosion next to their house, which was damaged after alleged shelling by separatists loyal to Moscow.

© Evgeniy Maloletka/dpa

Between Ukraine and Russia, the situation increasingly escalates.

But how does people happen to the front?

Marinka - No electricity, no water and artillery shelling: Life on the front lines of the Ukraine conflict is hard.

Valentina Gordeyeva lives just a few meters from the front line in the town of Marinka.

The 65-year-old was recently injured in an artillery attack by shrapnel, as reported by Al Jazeera.

She had tried to hide in a shop, but the projectile was faster.

Frontline in Ukraine conflict: Four civilians wounded in attacks

The woman suffered a hand injury in the attack.

She is one of four civilians wounded by Russian-backed separatists since Thursday (February 17, 2022).

I was holding a bag and I felt pain and then I saw blood running down my bag

Valentina Gordeyeva (65) to Al Jazeera

A school was also hit in the attack on Ukraine*, Gordeyeva told Al Jazeera.

In the city of 10,000, most have gotten used to the looming threat of pro-Russian missiles.

There are hardly any intact roofs or windows in the city.

Attacks on Ukraine: Increased artillery fire across the front

Ukraine conflict: This is what the shrapnel that hit Valentina must have looked like.

(Archive photo) © Oleksandr Ratushniak/DPA

In the past few days, however, the attacks have been worse than they have been for a long time.

Residential areas and even a kindergarten were hit, as Al Jazeera writes.

The Interior Ministry of Ukraine also announced on Saturday (February 19, 2022) that artillery fire had intensified along the entire front.

Soldiers on the front in the far east of Ukraine reported to Al Jazeera that the shelling on Friday night (02/18/2022) was the heaviest so far.

On Saturday, two soldiers on the Ukraine side were killed in the attacks and four others were injured.

Russia saber-rattling: Many people in Ukraine show themselves to be imperturbable

Despite the Western powers' continued warnings, many people in Ukraine remain unperturbed by the saber-rattling from Russia* and the separatist areas.

However, the new wave of attacks is pushing many further inland.

So does Blinova Tetiana Anatolivna.

She fled by car from Volnowakha to Mariupol, as Al Jazeera writes.

I have relatives in Donetsk and all they want and I want is peace.

Blinova Tetiana Anatolivna (46) versus Al Jazeera

The time to flee* had come for Anatolivna when the water pumping station in her town was hit.

The brunt of the upcoming conflict between Russia and Ukraine is likely to rest on the shoulders of the people who remain in the frontline region.

Many of them are old, sick or simply don't have enough money to get out of there.

According to aid organizations, 2.9 million people in the frontline areas are already in need of humanitarian aid.

Ukraine Front: Gordeyeva doesn't want to move again - but her children are pushing

Her children are also increasingly urging Gordeyeva to leave the area at the front.

She had already moved to another village in 2014, when the conflict began.

She doesn't really want to leave her house again, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Something big is about to happen.

We don't know exactly what, but we're very scared.

Valentina Gordeyeva (65) to Al Jazeera

In a small village on the south-eastern edge of Marina, the electricity has been out for a week.

The residents fear that the water could soon stop.

Ukraine conflict: bunkers instead of freedom and

65-year-old Olena Ivanivna lives in the village with her three grandchildren.

The four had to spend most of the last week in bunkers, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Now we don't leave our houses anymore.

You shoot and we hide.

That's it.

Olena Ivanivna (65) versus Al Jazeera

From the woman's house you can see the Separatist areas.

She told Al Jazeera that there hadn't been any shelling for a year.

But now they've "lost their minds," says the 65-year-old.

(Lucas Maier)