Trapped in her basement for days on end as fierce fighting rages over her head, a Ukrainian grandmother has uncovered the true horrors of life on the battlefield.
Tatyana Fik fled to her basement more than a week ago when shelling and explosions disrupted her normally peaceful life in the northeastern Ukrainian town of Tostenets.
Located less than 25 miles from the border and close to the strategic city of Sumy, the city has always had close ties to Russia.
So nothing could have prepared retired shopkeeper Tatyana and her family for the devastating onslaught of battle that has engulfed her and her neighbors since Putin’s tanks swept into Ukraine last month.
Now, the 60-year-old woman cowers next to the canned vegetable stands in her freezer basement, along with her seven-year-old granddaughter Sophia and daughter-in-law Natalia, as the battle for Ukraine rages over her head.
Hiding in a basement Grandmother Tatyana Fit (in a black coat) and daughter-in-law Natalia (in a fur coat) take cover as Russian tanks patrol their neighborhood in northeastern Ukraine
Speaking to MailOnline via mobile phone, Grandma Tatiana spoke of the horror of living underground as Russian and Ukrainian troops fight to the death above.
She said, “The whole city is on lockdown. Ukraine and Russia are at war, so I have to live in the basement.
“It’s cold, dark and dusty here, but it’s the only safe place when the bombs are falling.
“The battle goes on at night, during the day and in the morning.
“Whenever we hear a big noise, we quickly run downstairs.
“I have a private house with a large basement.
“When the fighting started, we heard a lot of shots and explosions.
“The bombs exploded right outside my house.
Nothing could have prepared retired shopkeeper Tatyana and her family for the devastating onslaught of battle that has engulfed her and her neighbors since Putin’s tanks swept into Ukraine last month.
“Windows and doors were shaking from bombs.
“It’s too cold to stay underground all the time, so we crawl out of the basement when the fight stops.
“But there were fierce battles outside my house.
“My neighbor’s house was shelled and there was fighting in the chocolate factory, which is 500 meters from my house.”
She added: “Let’s start with my granddaughter Sophia, who was very scared.
“She cried and cried.
“But now she is used to these terrible sounds and just wishes the death of the Russian soldiers.”
Little Sophia and her mother Natalya took shelter with Tatyana while her father Oleg is at war.
Natalia described how Russian soldiers robbed local shops and drank beer and vodka after they broke into the city in tanks.
She said, “We go back and forth to the basement. It’s so cold there that we don’t want to stay there, but it’s the only safe place.
“We are shocked and scared.
“We have to keep the lights off in the house.
“If the Russians see a light, they shoot at it.
“Their soldiers occupied the center of the city.
“They ransacked all the shops.
“The Russians stole food and alcohol.
“They drink beer and vodka, get drunk and start yelling at people.
“Everyone here speaks Russian, but we hate them. They are invaders.
Speaking to MailOnline via mobile phone, Grandma Tatiana spoke of the horrors of living underground as Russian and Ukrainian troops fight to the death above.
Tatyana said: “The whole city is blocked. Ukraine and Russia are at war, so I have to live in the basement. It’s cold, dark and dusty here, but it’s the only safe place when the bombs are falling.”
Last night, Tatiana struggled to stay in touch with her family and friends after a power outage in her town.
She must venture above ground to charge her cell phone from her car.
And a 60-year-old woman and her family are in even greater danger after the Russian army placed its artillery and rocket launchers in residential areas, turning the local population into human shields.
Speaking from her basement, Tatiana told MailOnline: “We are still alive and relatively well, but we cannot leave the city.
“Russian soldiers are in the city, they have blocked the city and are not letting anyone in.
“We are being used as hostages.
“They have a lot of military equipment, and they hide it between residential buildings where people live and in the yards of houses so that our military does not shoot at them.”
Ukrainian authorities condemned the Russian army for cowardly tactics
The head of the Sumy regional military administration, Dmitry Zhivitsky, said: “In one of the villages of the Trostyanets community, which was occupied by Russian invaders today, a Russian tank stands along the main street and in almost every yard.
“The Russian army has created a “human shield” of the villagers.”