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Ukraine's 'hell jumpers'

The rescuers who dodge drones and bombs to evacuate civilians from the frontline in Ukraine.

The rescuers who dodge drones and bombs to evacuate from frontline areas in Ukraine, known as the “kill zone”. More than four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, thousands of civilians still live dangerously close to active combat zones. Getting them to safety requires powers of persuasion, knowledge of warfare, and nerves of steel. In this episode, we explore how volunteer evacuation efforts of civilians in eastern Ukraine have evolved throughout the war, and how rescuers continue to adapt to an increasingly hostile and unpredictable battlefield.

Find out more about BBC Monitoring on our website: https://monitoring.bbc.co.uk

Contributors: Vitaly Shevchenko
Producer: Kriszta Satori, Tim Bowler
Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg
Music: Pete Cunningham

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29 minutes

On radio

Thu 3 Sep 202609:32GMT

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  • Thu 3 Sep 202609:32GMT
  • Sun 6 Sep 202618:32GMT

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