Viacheslav, who has grey hair and is draped in a Ukrainian flag, holds a small dog in his arms. He is stood next to his wife Olha, who has a blonde bob. Both are looking at the camera.
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Viacheslav and his wife Olha were living in Oleshky with their children

ByMariana Matveichuk and Amy Walker
  • Published20 minutes ago
  • Warning: This story contains graphic content.

Olha has one word to describe what life has been like in the frontline city of Oleshky over the past few years: "Horror".

Disembarking alongside her from a coach in the Ukrainian region of Chernihiv with their immediate family and dog, her husband Viacheslav put it this way: "We came back from hell."

The couple were among hundreds of residents evacuated from the Russian-occupied city who crossed into northern Ukraine via Belarus on Saturday, many reuniting with loved ones they had not seen for years.