CAPE TOWN – A South African husband and father is pleading with authorities to assist his wife, and others trapped in Ukraine.
De Villiers Venter, based on the west coast's Mossel Bay, has been frantically trying to stay in contact with his wife Natalia, who's currently on the borders of the Ukraine capital of Kyiv.
Heavy shelling and armed conflict could be heard throughout the city again on Friday night, with the total number of lives lost yet to be confirmed.
Venter said his wife is one of many who've taken shelter in the underground metro station, meaning there's limited connectivity to stay in touch.
"We spoke probably about an hour ago, things to be a little calm at this stage. Seems like they launch these attacks in the evenings with street fights and stuff like that. Some fighting going on outside of Kyiv she says there are loud noises they can hear now".
His wife's plans to get out of the city have been hampered by congestion, attacks on the roads, and a lack of transport.
Demand is already growing for food, water, and shelter supplies.
After speaking to his wife and their loved ones on Saturday, Venter said they're bracing themselves for the violence expected to unfold in the capital tonight.
"They are expecting a lot of fresh militaries arriving later this afternoon, the evening and morning planning a big attack on Kyiv. We are really concerned about this how people will then get out if the is a huge offensive for Kyiv".
Artmotion S.Africa
