Guide: how to evacuate from the front line for free?

During almost 8 months of the full-scale invasion of russia, the Vostok SOS team evacuated more than 30,000 residents of the frontline areas, 3,000 of them were persons with limited mobility or people with disabilities. The charitable foundation helps not only with departure but also with finding shelter. The evacuation crew will also help pick up your pet, if necessary. Evacuation is possible from the controlled Donetsk region, from the de-occupied cities in the Kharkiv region – Kupyansk and the nearest settlements, as well as from the city of Nikopol.

SLOVYANSK, UKRAINE – MAY 22

 Registration for evacuation

Evacuation applications are registered by operators of our hotline. They will learn all the necessary information from you: contacts, address, number of people in the family, additional needs and landmark orientation (in case there is no connection, this will help drivers find their destination faster). Operators will announce upcoming travel dates or call to inform about new departure opportunities.

SLOVYANSK, UKRAINE – MAY 21

Can you evacuate a person with reduced mobility?

Yes! The Vostok SOS team consists of drivers and volunteers who help people with limited mobility and persons with disabilities to get to the car, and then safely transport them to the carriage of the evacuation train. On the appointed day, drivers go to addresses and pick up people from their homes.

Application processing

It should be taken into account that the processing of one request takes from one to three days. At this time, our evacuation department and hotline workers analyze the information provided, plan the departure of the crew, and provide them with contact information. After that, the team looks for shelters or other places where evacuees with limited mobility can stay.

Where to go?

All our evacuation crews take people to the railway station in the city of Pokrovsk. Then the evacuation can be continued by train. You can find information about evacuation trains on the Ukrzaliznytsia website. Vostok SOS helps you find contacts of shelters where you can stay. For people with disabilities, we are looking for specialized facilities where they can get the help and care they need.

How to evacuate with a pet?

If you are at home, prepare a carrier in advance (this applies to cats and small dogs). The animal should feel comfortable, so the bedding in the carrier should be soft with your smell or the smell of the house. Be as calm as possible. Animals are very sensitive to our emotional state, so talk to them in a gentle, calm voice.


When moving or evacuating, put protective equipment on the animal – it should be a harness/collar/leash. Also, don’t forget about the ID tag – write your name and phone number on it. Be sure to prepare water, food and medicine. Try to do everything as much as possible in your usual life: the time of walking, feeding, etc.

If you want to leave the frontline areas or evacuate your loved ones, call the hotline numbers of the charity fund:

+38 099 311 53 36

+38 099 311 53 02

+38 099 710 48 72

+38 099 311 53 14

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