Residents of Severodonetsk in Ukraine peek their heads out from behind the grey door of their Soviet-era residences to see if it is safe to step outside as the rhythm of shelling dictates their lives. "There is banging all the time, and shrapnel flying around. You can hear it from the basement. So we lock ourselves up," says Anna Poladyuk, who’s outdoor cooking is constantly interrupted by shelling. The 66-year-old has been living below ground in the dark for much of the past month with 27 other residents.

Interested in licensing this video ? Get in touch 👉 http://u.afp.com/UBbQ
N.B.: AFP’s services and content are for professional use only