18-year-old Mychajlo fled occupied Ukraine: 'They hung a woman's body in the town square'

The story of Mychajlo, an 18-year-old who has managed to escape the Russian occupation of his hometown in southern Ukraine, is a stark reminder of the brutal realities faced by civilians in the occupied territories. Dagens Nyheter's report highlights the psychological toll and the pervasive fear that has gripped these areas since 2022.

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They hanged her body in a tree, in the middle of town, so that everyone could see.

Mychajlo's account of the public execution of a woman in Skadovsk, who had protested the invasion, serves as a chilling testament to the methods used by Russian forces to quell dissent. His description of the subsequent silence and pervasive distrust among residents underscores the deep psychological impact of the occupation.

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After that, the resistance fell silent.

Organizations like Save Ukraine are playing a crucial role in helping vulnerable young people escape these oppressive conditions. However, their work is fraught with danger, as Myroslava Chartjenko, chief legal counsel at Save Ukraine, points out. The FSB, Russia's security service, actively sets traps, impersonating volunteers to identify and apprehend those attempting to flee. This highlights the constant threat and the need for extreme caution among those seeking to escape.

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The children are not always aware of it themselves, but they are also witnesses to Russia's war crimes.

From a Ukrainian perspective, stories like Mychajlo's are not just individual tragedies but represent the collective suffering and resilience of a nation under siege. While international media often focus on the front lines and geopolitical implications of the war, the quiet terror and systematic repression within occupied territories, as detailed in this report, are crucial to understanding the full scope of the conflict and the deep wounds it inflicts on ordinary citizens. The courage of young people like Mychajlo, who risk everything for freedom, is a powerful symbol of Ukrainian defiance.

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the FSB, that is, the Russian security service, sets traps where they pretend to be volunteers offering help – to then expose those who want to flee.