Very important information for residents of Crimea and other temporarily occupied territories. The statistics are clear: most people who die in disasters don’t die because escape was impossible. They die because they waited too long, hoping everything would somehow work out. Over the years I’ve noticed a particular quirk of human psychology. When danger arises, people freeze. Instead of leaving as fast as they can, they talk themselves into staying put and waiting for things to improve. If you are in occupied territory, remember one rule: in a war zone, things almost always get worse. And here’s a harder truth. At the critical moment, Russian officials and decision-makers will always have more ways out than ordinary citizens do. They have the transport, the connections, the resources, the contingency plans. You won’t. So trust your own judgment first, and take responsibility for your family’s safety yourself. If you can leave – or even if you think you can’t – leave anyway. It may save your life, and the lives of your children and the people you love. There’s one more thing to weigh. Sooner or later, the occupied territories will be liberated, and liberating an area packed with civilians is far harder and far more dangerous. Every civilian who leaves in advance means fewer collateral casualties and fewer constraints on Ukrainian forces. All of my own friends and acquaintances left Crimea back in 2014. But I understand that some people genuinely cannot go: serious illness, elderly parents, no money, loved ones who can’t be moved. Those reasons are real. Still – don’t pin your hopes on things “somehow working out.” If you can evacuate, choose life. A Russian official will not warn you, and will not spare you. One more thing. You’ve probably watched how Ukraine has lived these past five years and thought, “What about us?” My answer is simple. No one is going to send you hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of generators. The world will not rally to bring you warm blankets and children’s clothing. People in other parts of Russia will not send volunteers, will not haul gasoline and sugar across rivers to reach you. You will simply be abandoned. Because to them you were always outsiders. You were a card to be played – and that card has now been beaten. Author: Yuriel Shtern