Residents of Ukrainian border towns were evacuated from their homes on Friday, and spoke to Reuters news agency about leaving.

“We are leaving because we are dying from the ‘Russian world,’” said Valerii Dubskyi, 60, referring to a Russian concept of extending Moscow’s influence beyond its borders.

“It can go to hell, together with (Russian president Vladimir) Putin and their authorities. They are our enemies. They tested all types of weapons on us, except for the nuclear bomb.”

Dubskyi said he had not eaten for 24 hours. Even fetching well water was impossible under an unending torrent of shelling.

“During the bombardments, you either rush to the basement or out of the basement,” he said. “There and back.”

Groups of evacuees sat on benches clutching handfuls of possessions, tightly packed bags alongside them on the ground.

Halyna Ukrainyk, clutching a cat while waiting for her bus, said the shelling started the previous day at about 3 am She and others were confined to a cellar.

“A street is totally destroyed. Shelling,” she said. “It’s horrible what is going on there. It’s impossible to stay there.”