The hospital where Igor’s family took refuge was in ruins after being shelled by Russian troops (Image: Courtesy of Ukrainian residents) Mr. Igor, 59, witnessed the infernal battle in Mariupol, a fierce battleground in Ukraine. I would like to share with you the true story of his escape with his family, and the part that follows. Part I: Hell in Mariupol, a fierce battleground with a one-year-old infant in my arms Igor and his family were taken away by the Russian military, and they had to leave the hospital where they had taken refuge. “On April 8, Russian soldiers came to the shelter. They make a list of all the people there and order them to be ready to leave within 15 minutes. One by one, we were put on a bus and taken to the Russian registration center and the humanitarian aid headquarters.” “When the volunteers saw that we were emaciated, dirty, and hungry, they immediately took us to a doctor. The hospital patients who were with us were put directly on buses and taken to a sorting camp further away.”   While Russian soldiers kept a watchful eye on the patients and doctors, Igor and his family were separated from the group. They decided to spend the night at a relative’s cottage on the beach nearby. “In the morning the fishermen brought us fish, and the locals supplied us with vegetables, grain, and bread. It was the first time in a month and a half that my grandson had seen the sun. My grandson stood on the beach and watched the sky in silence for half an hour. Was it because of the war? Russian warships were shelling the Azovstal ironworks and harbor, but they did not even react to the explosions.” “The next day, Russian soldiers arrived. They checked my ID, interrogated me, and said, ‘Come to the sorting camp. But I never wanted to go to a sorting camp, so I decided to go to the Ukrainian-controlled area on my own. Not knowing a safe evacuation route, I left on the morning of April 16.”   “We passed through about 15 Russian military checkpoints, and at each checkpoint our documents, cell phones, and personal belongings were checked.”