Bakhmut residents await Ukrainian victory

STORY: "I come here, just to sit and breathe and think about life. It's all about freedom, and so calming at the same time," Mykhailo said, adding that he's not afraid to die in his hometown if it came to that.

The 79-year-old said that he'll stay in Bakhmut until Ukraine wins the war, and that people who are afraid shouldn't stay.

Ukrainian artists gifted the murals to the city in 2020, and their names reflect how peaceful Bakhmut had been when war was far away: "Community of happy people" and "Bakhmut - open to good deeds."

Ukraine aims to evacuate two thirds of residents from areas it controls in the eastern battleground region of Donetsk before winter, partly out of concern people won't be able to stay warm due to damaged infrastructure.

Although the authorities describe the evacuation as "mandatory", residents can opt out by filling in a form declaring their intention to stay.