An Oxford man who ended up stranded in Kharkiv, the Ukrainian city on the frontline of Russia's invasion, shared his 12-day journey across the country.
Ivan Savvov who has lived in Oxford for 23 years, was born and raised in Kharkiv and is also a British National.
The 41-year-old Director at Europe Business Assembly spoke to the Oxford Mail about what he and his parents, Anton and Liubov, experienced trying to get to safety.
READ MORE: Oxford man trapped in Ukraine war after visiting parents
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February 24 - The Russian invasion of Ukraine begins
“I went to visit my parents and it happened that I stayed a bit longer than anticipated. Then I started getting messages from the British embassy saying it was dangerous. When you don’t see anything, you kind of don’t take it very seriously.
"But then I woke up to explosions.
“At first we thought it was just building works and then I switched on YouTube and saw that message from Putin. That is when the alarm went off in my head and I had to do something.
“I had to convince my parents to leave. The bombing didn’t stop. I went into the city, as we are very close to the centre, and there it was empty. Then I get told that tanks are coming my way. I picked up a couple of essential items and we left in the car.
“We decided to go West and we were stuck in traffic. There were so many cars with people trying to get out. We spent hours and hours getting to a nearby town, Poltava. It is only around 150 kilometres away but we left at around 4pm and only got there at 11pm.
“The most terrifying we experienced on the way was troops with guns and military equipment. There were also loads of checkpoints to go through. That is when it kind of hits you and you sense that something is not normal.
“When we finally got there, we struggled to find a hotel because it was full of people like us. We managed to find a spot and spent the night there.
February 25- Full-scale Russian military attack begins
"The following morning we set off driving westwards. When we got nearer to Kviv, which is on the way, then everything got even worse.
“We saw tanks and machine guns. A plane flew right over our heads. We also started getting information of the destruction at Kharkhiv from our relatives. We managed to get through and we stopped in another city to the west of Kviv, Poltava.
February 26- Ukraine capital Kyiv under missile fire
“Luckily we went early the next day because there was a bombardment just after we left. We could hear it. You have no time to be afraid because you’re in this heightened state. You can’t sleep, you have so much adrenaline.
“When we got to Lviv there was absolutely no room available at all. From there we went to Truskavets in the Southwest to stay.
"We turned on the news and see that Kharkiv is being bombarded. We think it is a sci-fi movie until we call our friends, and they send us the videos on Whatsapp.”
March 5- Ukraine accuses Russia of violating ceasefire in Mariupol in South East
"We decided to go to Poland where we thought we could get out. But because of the Martial law in Ukraine I couldn’t actually cross the border [Ukrainian men are required to stay in the country to fight, women are given the option to stay or leave]. It was all a very dramatic experience.
“We decided to stay as a family."
March 7- The third round of 'ceasefire' end without breakthroughs
"In the end I crossed the border at Slovakia on foot with a large number of other refugees. [My mother] dropped me off, so I could leave the car in Ukraine with them.
"It is quite an interesting moment to leave where there is such a feeling of relief but also sadness because many people are still there."
March 8- Number of Ukrainians who have fled passes 2,000,000,000
"When I first make it back to the UK I get in touch with friends to tell them I'm safe. I have just been trying to help my parents get here.
"Then I started working straight away. I have people who are living in Ukraine who I work with and I can't let them down."
March 9- Maternity hospital in Mariupol hit
"My parents crossed the border into Slovakia by car. They are staying at a hotel. It was quite hard to find a place as everywhere is really full.
"Luckily you can get visa's in the UK. I am trying to get them here.
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