Human nature is strange at times. Often you don't think about the danger or don't want to believe it until it's too late. For over a month and a half, authorities have urged people to leave the places the Russians were approaching. And despite this, Liman, whose population amounts to 22 000 people, still has about 14 000 inhabitants.

A few days ago, although Russian artillery shells were already exploding around the city, many people could still be seen on the street. Not that streets were crowded, but still, considering the terrifying reality, it meant a lot.

The number of refugees increased as the missiles hit the city directly. Even more so when the Russians bombed the bridge outside the city, complicating the escape route. Although, for the remaining number, very few still decided to leave the city. Looking at the number and frequency of missiles falling on this small town, frighteningly, few decided to do so.

In those moments when the Russians are firing intensively, you can hear a missile flying overhead and explosions every few seconds. Terrified people wait at several evacuation points for police officers who, risking their lives, drive up buses to take them out of the city under fire.

Later, they must place them in vehicles, all the time under fire, and the bus moves between the remains of the road, buildings and trees chopped up by artillery shells.

The bus must go a few more kilometres before it is safe because the Russians are also always shooting at the evacuation road. Those lucky leave the city safely and reach the point where the following evacuation buses take them further to the west of Ukraine.

Some start crying when adrenaline comes off them and thank the police officers for saving them. Those less fortunate leave the city as 300, which in the code of police and military means injured ones. And code 200 means they stay there forever because they were killed.

The refugees move towards their new reality, and the police officers regroup and return to Liman to face their destiny and get subsequent refugees out.