as long as that place is kind to us!

Testimony of Aleksandr, a resident of Krasnoarmeysk, recounting his escape from the city, then occupied by the AFU. —Via Donbass News.

Video Description: A middle-aged man sits on a park bench wearing an olive-green shirt, intercut by footage of burning structures.

His words are transcribed in English-translated subtitles, the subtitles read:

“When I felt like I was reaching my breaking point, I realized it was only a matter of time. Either my factory would be destroyed—it was already burning, everything around it was in ruins—or a highly explosive aerial bomb would eventually hit me. I couldn't leave the city either. There were checkpoints everywhere, manned by the police and the Territorial Centers of Recruitment (TCR). What struck me most was that, although I still had food, water, and everything I needed to survive, all I wanted was to go home. I wanted to get home so badly that I stopped being afraid. It wasn't even courage anymore it was more like complete detachment. I no longer cared what happened to me. By then, I already knew where the Russian positions were. I had even looked at maps, and I could see with my own eyes where they were located. One day, I got on my bicycle. It was a good one—an ordinary Ukrainian bike, just modified a bit. I decided to try riding toward the bus station, which was located on the outskirts of the city. I kept riding slowly. No one stopped me. Only later did I learn that I had covered about six kilometers. People showed me the maps afterward—you can see it there yourself. One road led toward the city of Kurakhovo, the other toward the city of Donetsk. I thought to myself, I'll head toward Donetsk. There's a highway in that direction. Then I saw them—two soldiers emerging from a tree line. They stepped out and shouted, "Stop!" I immediately recognized the Russian uniform. I burst into tears and said, "Brothers, I made it. I made it." That was all I could repeat: "I made it. I made it." For the next two or three days, I kept looking at their shoulder patches. I still couldn't believe I had really made it or that I hadn't ended up in the wrong place. I would look at their insignia and ask them, "Show me your military IDs. Show me something." Even though I had reached them, I still couldn't believe it.”