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Kharkiv's Barabashova market, one of the largest in Eastern Europe, caught fire on March 17.
Up until a month ago, everything from groceries to clothes was sold here.
After a Russian attack, the 70 firefighters have to hurry to stop the fire from spreading further.
One of them dies during this mission - from his injuries from Russian shelling.
Roman Kakhanov, firefighter:
»Sometimes you hear the bombs hitting for 30 seconds.
You're very scared for the first five seconds.
After that you think… that was close.
Then you think: If it hits me, then it just hits me.
I probably won't feel anything anyway."
Fireman Kakhanov has lived in the fire station since the war and is on duty around the clock.
Since the beginning of the war, he and his team have often had to clear entire blocks of flats instead of individual apartments, as is usually the case.
Roman Kachanow, firefighter:
»I feel like I'm on a hamster wheel, even if there's no fire to put out.
Today I got groceries, yesterday medicine.
I got this three days ago and have already helped a few people with it: army material, bandages, special medication.«
The eastern Ukrainian city has been shelled for weeks.
The rescue workers not only have to fight the flames, but also free survivors from the rubble as quickly as possible.
Roman Kakhanov, firefighter: »Yesterday we rescued several people from this building: four from this apartment, two from this one and a disabled boy. Here they are trying to recover two bodies: an old man and an old woman. We know they're gone, but we're trying to find their bodies. When we find her, we leave this place. Because as long as we're on the roof, we can't put out the fire in the apartments. The roof has fallen down to the fourth and fifth floors. We have to clear the rubble to get into the adjacent building.”
Around 600 buildings were destroyed by the Russian attacks, and the local authorities in the second largest city in Ukraine count more than 100 civilian casualties – the actual number is probably much higher.
It is estimated that more than half of the originally 1.4 million inhabitants of Kharkiv have fled.
Those who stayed take shelter in basements and subway stations, like here in the Saltivka district in the north-east of the city.
The researcher Sergej Mizrakhy also lives there with his wife and their five-year-old son.
The family made a conscious decision to stay in Kharkiv.
Sergej
Mizrakhy, radiation physicist:
»I believe in Ukrainian research.
I set up a science school here and taught students.
Kharkiv is an important research location in Ukraine.
Among other things, the first 3D radars were developed here.
We are Ukrainians, independent and democratic.
We are not Russians.
We believe in our future together with the European Union, in the western idea of democracy and independence.«
Every morning, Sergei Mizrakhy leaves the subway station and returns to his apartment.
In the old home, someone is still waiting for his help that he doesn't want to give up.
Sergej Mizrakhy, radiation physicist:
»We have a hangover, I bring him food.
Many shops are destroyed because of the war, it's hard to find anything for him.
But the cat needs something to eat once a day, I visit him in the morning.
You can hear loud shots here again and again.
I control my apartment and play the guitar to strengthen myself internally.
Then I will return to my wife and child.”
The break from the crowds between hundreds of people in the subway station is good for him.
Mizrakhy sings in Russian - a self-composed song about love for life.
Russian is the first mother tongue of most residents here.
Kharkiv is only 20 kilometers from the Russian border.
Every day there are explosions in the city, residents report.
And so the fire brigade works tirelessly – at least almost every day.
Roman Kakhanov, firefighter:
»Today is my weekend.
I'm doing something too, but today there was no emergency call.
No emergency calls – oh my god!
My muscles still hurt, but they can finally relax for a moment.«
