Watch: Fleeing Kyiv for the countryside ahead of winter
Ukrainian citizens are increasingly relocating to rural areas to escape Russian strikes on power infrastructure. Residents are seeking remote locations away from industrial and transport hubs to survive the upcoming winter.
Why it matters
The systematic targeting of energy infrastructure creates a humanitarian crisis that forces internal migration and alters the daily lives of civilians.
Russia has been targeting Ukraine's power grid leaving locals without electricity and heating, and they will soon face prolonged periods of sub-zero temperatures.
Olena told the BBC she spent weeks looking for a suitable location before settling on a cottage in a rural community two hours outside the capital.
"I decided the better option will be a little village without any factories, any [warehouses] and any railway stations," Olena explained.
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