At the beginning of the occupation of Melitopol, Volodymyr witnessed russians arresting his friends and neighbors. Volodymyr managed to avoid interrogation. He was warned in time that he could become the next victim. But the journey out of the occupied territories was a challenge. The lines to leave were several weeks long. Columns were formed according to lists.

Then Volodymyr decided to break through on his own. But it turned out that he led an entire evacuation column by himself. In the fog, he almost got hit by a tank, and miraculously did not get blown up by a mine. He will remember this hellish route for the rest of his life.