The Story Of A Ukrainian Man Who Successfully Evacuated 200 People Using A Broken Van

Photo via Twitter @AndyVermaut

JAKARTA - This man is a true hero in cyberspace. In the midst of a hail of bombs from Russian troops on Ukrainian cities, Mykhailo Puryshev instead burst inside to evacuate residents.

As Russian troops tightened the siege of the city of Mariupol and missiles rained down, Mykhailo Puryshev drove into the city six times in March to evacuate its citizens. Somehow, because his flagship red van was destroyed.

Mykhailo Puryshev is a 36-year-old Ukrainian man. Previously he had run a nightclub in the city.

As reported by Channel News Asia, Tuesday, April 26, he has evacuated more than 200 people during his six dangerous journeys.

Russia last week claimed control of the ruins of the strategic port city, which has been the target of some of the war's most intense attacks, though hundreds of Ukrainian troops are still left there sheltering in the catacombs of a sprawling steel mill. Ukraine says about 100,000 civilians are stranded in the city.

The humanitarian operation Puryshev has become a savior for starving civilians as repeated attempts to establish humanitarian corridors have failed.

"When I first left (on March 8), the city was like a cloud of smoke, like a bonfire... The last time I went, it was just ashes with black coals of buildings..." Puryshev said.

Russia denies targeting civilians in what it calls special operations to disarm Ukraine and protect it from fascists. Ukraine and the West say the fascist accusations are baseless and that war is an act of unwarranted aggression.

Puryshev published an online video of his trip that offered a rare view of the city.

The van that his friends bought specifically for evacuation, has a windshield. Three side windows and one side door were destroyed in the attack.

"Thank goodness no one was inside," he said.

"The bus was bombarded with gunfire, assault, mortars, rifle fire, to be honest, there were so many signs of war on it," he said.