“We cut fruit trees and burn them": A Report From Avdiivka

For five days, Avdiivka residents live in cold and fear, with the hope that fighting will stop. Since January 29th, the situation hasn't changed. The temperature is low, and people’s houses still have no heating.

“We cut fruit trees and burn them,” said one of the locals.

People warm up in the mobile heating points, where they can also get food, check their state of health and register for buses leaving from Avdiivka to Mariupol and Svyatohirsk.

“Grad” rockets hit “old Avdiivka” (a part of the town, which is close to the frontline). Hromadske’s correspondents visited it. Some buildings were ruined, a man was wounded and a woman was killed as a result of the shelling.

Just a few people live on the outskirts of “old Avdiivka”. This place was hit again. There are deep shell craters there, and “Grad” residue is spread out on the ground.

A soldier of the Armed Forces Of Ukraine with a call sign “Tuman” (“Fog”) says that Russian-backed separatists used “Grad” and “Uragan” rockets.

“They've been shelling it for the last few nights. As of 2 a.m. they started firing again. At first, it was howtizers, and then – "Uragan" rockets. Earlier on they used a "Grad" rocket launcher, now they have an "Uragan",” he said.

Swarms of people gather near mobile heating point . They come here not only to warm up but also to get some food, electricity or to register for buses, which will take them of Avdiivka. People, who left for Mariupol, will live in a home with free meals and overnight stays.

On February 1st, 80 children were evacuated, but not all of them left the town. They come to the mobile heating points with their parents. One woman came to the tent with two children - one of them is 4 years-old and another is 4 months.

“They are not scared. They think it's thunder,” she said.