The war touched everyone! The hottest spots: Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mariupol... how many more cities will be under fire... but they will definitely stand and become even more beautiful. Today I will share my experience and knowledge on how to save yourself and your family. If you decide to temporarily leave your home/city/country, then I can say one thing - you must be confident in your abilities and definitely believe that everything will work out. There are different options for how to leave hot spots - I'll tell you about each. There are several ways to leave eastern Ukraine: By own car By evacuation transport: bus, train Where to leave: Central Ukraine Western Ukraine EU countries Other Next, I'll talk about each option. Pros and cons of evacuation by car: Driving your own car is more comfortable, but longer to any point of your route For example, the road from Kharkiv to Poltava or Kremenchug can take from 6 hours (yes, 200 km from 6 hours) because the road is very busy. Tip: turn on google maps - they recommend avoiding traffic jams on country roads - it really works! If you go to western Ukraine, then the previous advice is just as relevant, the main roads are in many kilometers of traffic jams. But still, be prepared that the road can be 20 hours. It is advisable to take care of housing in advance. The real estate market tolerates a situation where demand significantly outstrips supply. But we also have a positive trend: many hotels and apart-hotels let people in need in. On evacuation vehicles Consider the example of "how to leave Kharkov." You can leave on trains that depart from the central station several times a day. The train is free, but the ticket is a guarantee that you will get on. Be prepared that the road will be long, difficult and tiring. Men are not allowed on the Kharkiv-Lviv intercity, the only exceptions are fathers of many children and guardians of the disabled who need help, everyone is allowed on other trains, but priority is given to women and children. You could see photos of crowds of people. I can say one thing - the security works well - if they see families with children, they try to guide them along the fast corridor so that the children do not get hurt and even try to calm the crying children with jokes and kind smiles. You will have to make room in the train cars, because there are much more people who want to than there are seats. I’ll write right away - do not take a lot of things and huge suitcases - only the most necessary for the first time (I pray that we will return faster under a peaceful sky). During stops, volunteers enter the cars and offer water, food - do not refuse, but do not be impudent either. The route of the train may change during the movement - this is due to the purpose of safety. At the entrance to the lions there may be a traffic jam from the trains, this is normal. The main thing is that you are already relatively safe. If you stay in Ukraine, then look for housing in advance, as demand exceeds supply on the market and, unfortunately, there are many scammers who ask for an advance payment and then disappear (for whom there is war, and for whom the mother is a separate boiler in hell for such people). If you plan to leave the country, then free trains and buses to the border depart from the station in Lviv and other border cities, but there are live queues for them. If you plan to cross the border on foot, I recommend leaving as early as possible, as soon as curfew ends. It is better to call a taxi in advance, as the demand is very high, and the price will not be low. You will be driven directly to the checkpoint. Men from 18 to 60 years old are NOT allowed out, don’t even climb in, only you will occupy a place in the car. Volunteers work near the border itself: they provide water, food (including hot food), warm clothes, umbrellas, and there are heating points. Any documents for crossing the border. There is a biometric foreign passport - super. A simple border is good. Ukrainian passport - suitable. Children are released even simply with a birth certificate (without notarized permission from the father). There were cases when children crossed the border on their own without parents / guardians (I’ll tell you what to do with legal registration later) The process of crossing the border itself is very fast: they put a stamp on the fact of crossing in foreign countries, they just look at Ukrainian passports. No verification, no base filling. There are also active volunteers from the Polish/Slovak side - they will provide food, water, medical care and everything else you may need. From the Polish/Slovak border you will be picked up by your friends or by bus and taken to the refugee reception center - there you can relax and get any help and information on what to do next. I will make a reservation right away that the demand for rental housing in the EU countries has grown significantly and is already ahead of supply. But don’t worry, you won’t be completely without a roof over your head - either volunteers or local authorities can provide housing for the first time. Public transport in Poland is free for Ukrainians upon presentation of a passport. All cities provide free quality food + humanitarian aid. And so you are in the EU, safe, but too early to relax! Everyone needs to register!!! Depending on which document