Residents of the heavily damaged eastern Ukrainian city of Derhachi were evacuated on buses today (April 7) as Russia's assault intensified.

Footage showed tearful elderly women and children among those boarding buses organised by the Red Cross to flee their homes on the outskirts of Kharkiv.

On Wednesday (April 6) alone Russian shells destroyed 34 houses and an electrical substation.

Half the city had already been without power for two days.

"It was very scary," said Galina whose home was severely damaged.

"Everything was cracked, the windows, glass flew everywhere," she added as she waited for a bus to arrive.

When Alexey heard that local authorities were advising residents to leave, he packed his bags, hid his kitten under his jacket and headed for the door.

"For several days there is no gas, no electricity, no mobile communications and we don't know when they'll come back," he said despairingly.

The city bears the scars of the Russian onslaught. Even a local church hasn't been spared.

"All the windows are broken, you can see for yourself. There the dome is damaged, look," said Alina, a grandmother who was also now planning to get out.

According to local media, around 12,000 residents of Derhachi have already fled, approximately two-thirds of the population.

SOUNDBITES:

1. Galina (Ukrainian): "Right next to us. They hit us. The houses were hit. Not quite destroyed but heavily damaged. Very scary. Everything cracked, windows, glass flew, everything."
2. Alexey (Russian): "For several days there is no gas, no electricity, no mobile communications and we don’t know when they will restore it."
3. Mikhailo, driver (Ukrainian): "A lot of applicants. From Chuhuiv we took people out, from Sumy we took them out. Our cars went today from Sumy to Lviv. And we take them abroad, to Poland."
4. Soldier, coordinator (no name given): "Our Derhachi community is a front-line community, closest to the borders of Russia. We started evacuating the population and people were delivered to us, if possible, to railway stations and other safe places."
5. Alina (Ukrainian) grandmother inspecting church: "We went to the church. There is a lot of glass, earth. See? Earth, stones, it was also full there, the whole church was covered in glass. All the windows are broken, you can see for yourself. There the dome is damaged, look."

April 7th. City of Dergachi, northern suburb of Kharkov. 30 km from the border with Russia. Local authorities recommended residents to evacuate due to the constant shelling of the town - in the previous day alone, Russian shells destroyed 34 houses. An electrical substation was damaged, power poles were knocked down - half of the city has been living without electricity and mobile communications for two days.

People are taken out by buses. Most of the evacuees are old people and families with small children who do not have a personal car. In total, two-thirds of the inhabitants have already left the city with a population of 18 thousand people since the beginning of the invasion.

1. Galina (UKR) 1: It often happens. Right next to us. They beat us. And the houses were beaten, and the gallery was detailed. Not quite broken, but well detailed. + Very scary. Everything cracks, windows, glass flew, everything
2. alexey (rus) for several days there is no gas, no electricity, no mobile communications and we don’t know when they will restore
3. Carrie( driver) Mikhailo ( ukr)r: A lot of applicants. From Chuguev we took people out, from Sumy we took them out. Our cars went today from Sumy to Lvov. And we export abroad, to Poland
4. Solgers (coordinator) A.D.(NO NAME) (UKR) Our Dergachev community is a front-line community, closest to the borders of Russia(POSITTION). We started evacuating the population. + People were delivered to us, if possible, to railway stations and other safe places.
5. Alina (ukr) Grandmother near the church: We went to the temple. There is a lot of glass, earth. See? Earth, stones, it was also full there, the whole church was in glass. All the windows are broken, you can see for yourself. There the dome is damaged, look.