"We first thought it would pass, as it did in 2014. But when stones started flying over the roof of the house from shell explosions, we realised we had to flee. At that time, we still hoped we could come back; we didn't even pick up photos and other things. Now we regret it very much," says Oksana Riabova. The woman left in the spring of 2022, but her parents and aunt stayed in Bakhmut for a long time. They tried to protect their house from looters, but enemy shells destroyed everything. Those who survived there were very lucky.