TOPSHOT-UKRAINE-RUSSIA-CONFLICT-WAR-TORETSK

TOPSHOT - People drive a car loaded with items of luggage on a road from the town of Toretsk, eastern Donetsk region, on June 24, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Compared to others in war-scarred east Ukraine, Toretsk, a mining town was nestled in a relatively sleepy sector of the front line. Then, suddenly, the Russian assaults began, and life there deteriorated drastically. And with the heavily increased amount of rockets and air strikes that started raining down on Toretsk's shaken residents this month and being afraid that Toretsk would face the same fate as other Ukrainian eastern towns that were attacked by Russia with its scorched-earth assault tactics, many people decided to leave the town, while others made the decision to stay. (Photo by Roman PILIPEY / AFP) (Photo by ROMAN PILIPEY/AFP via Getty Images)