"It was strange to see strangers outside the windows of my own house and Russian tanks moving down the avenue"

For Anna Liedovska, the full-scale war began with the sound of explosions in Melitopol, when she saw black smoke over the airfield. She recalls how different churches united people in a common prayer on the city's main square. It was then that peaceful rallies in Melitopol were initiated. Residents of the city came out to the occupiers, demanding that they leave Ukraine, but soon the enemy began to kidnap participants in an attempt to suppress resistance. Some residents began to cooperate with the Russian invaders or engage in looting. Food and medicine shortages began in the city. It became clear that it was time to leave occupied Melitopol, but it was not an easy task.