Together with his parents, Vadym lived on the outskirts of Mariupol, towards the village of Manhush. No one could even imagine that the occupiers would attack from this side as well. The Yali family's house was almost immediately on the line of fire.

"The atmosphere was very depressing. I came under fire in the first days of the invasion. I had to run to the basement as fast as I could. Within a week, everything disappeared: electricity, water, communication. I did not know what to do next.

The occupiers started shooting at my house. A Grad rocket arrived, and I felt the building shaking. We decided to move to the city centre. I felt like I was in my apartment for the last time.

I saw the city gradually collapsing. I saw dead people on the street, lying on the ground, covered with earth. The Russian bombardment was getting stronger and stronger. Our neighbours were dying, we had to bury someone day after day," said Vadym Yali, a resident of Mariupol.