Ukraine invasion: What life is like as Russian forces close in on capital Kyiv
Anastasiia Kryshka says she hasn't left her house in 10 days, and said not knowing where the Russians will shoot next is the most terrifying part.
Sunday 6 March 2022 13:06, UK
A Kyiv resident has told Paste BN her biggest fear as Russian forces close in on the capital is waking up every day "not knowing if she'll make it or not".
When Anastasiia Kryshka arrived back in her hometown after finishing her degree in the UK, she never expected to be too scared to leave her house for fear of being shot by Russian forces.
But this is what her and her family are living through now in the Ukraine capital.
The former student, in her 20s, told Paste BN' Trevor Philips on Sunday: "Basically, because you don't know where they will shoot next or where they will come next, and that's definitely the most terrifying part."
Live updates on the Ukraine invasion
Ms Kryshka is currently living at her boyfriend's house with her parents, after "begging" them to leave their home situated in Kyiv's city centre.
She says she now feels "at peace" being surrounded by her family, but the fear of the unknown still haunts her.
She called on the West to impose a no-flight zone above Ukraine and described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "madman" for the invasion and specifically the decision to attack Europe's largest nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhya.
"If this tragedy happens, that's six times bigger [than Chernobyl], and no one's going to be able to hide.
"How many innocent lives have to be taken for people to finally understand that it (no-fly zone) has to be done."
Ms Kryshka said she was "very grateful" to people for their support, but warned that "what's happening here [in Ukraine] can, tragically, unfortunately happen to anyone at this point".
The UN refugee's agency has said more than 1.5 million people have left Ukraine for neighbouring countries, and could reach 4 million by July.
Key developments:
• Second attempt to evacuate Mariupol to begin as temporary ceasefire announced
• 'Putin must fail' - PM's six-point plan for resolving crisis ahead of talks with world leaders
• Visa and Mastercard announce suspension of operations in Russia
• China warns US not to 'add fuel to the flames' as Russia continues attack
NATO and the West have refused to impose a no-fly zone, as experts have said this would be, effectively, be declaring war against Russia.
It comes after a second attempt to evacuate civilians from Mariupol through a humanitarian "green" corridor failed with both sides blaming each other.
Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday appealed directly to the Russian people to protest against the invasion.