Denys Khrystov, once a prominent figure in Ukrainian entertainment as a TV host, YouTube blogger, and showman, has undergone a dramatic life transformation since the onset of Russia’s invasion. His vibrant past, documented in numerous videos and photos showcasing his work, now stands in stark contrast to his current reality as a volunteer tirelessly evacuating civilians from the most perilous frontline areas of Ukraine. Khrystov’s journey has shifted from entertaining audiences to saving lives, a testament to the devastating impact of the conflict on individual destinies. His new “travel show,” as he calls it, involves navigating war-torn landscapes, risking his own life to bring others to safety.
Khrystov’s commitment to this dangerous mission began in the initial days of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. Rather than focusing on the sheer number of people he’s rescued, a figure he admits he doesn’t keep track of, Khrystov measures his efforts by the vast distances he’s covered across war-ravaged Ukraine, a staggering total exceeding one million kilometers. However, the faces and stories of those he couldn’t save remain etched in his memory, a constant reminder of the human cost of the war. These individuals, their details stored in his phone and engraved in his mind, represent the tragic reality of a conflict that has forced countless people to make agonizing choices about their survival.
The urgency of Khrystov’s work is underscored by the precarious conditions in which he operates. The areas he traverses are so close to the frontlines that communication is often impossible, with mobile phone coverage and internet access frequently unavailable. Despite these challenges, desperate family members manage to find his contact information, pleading with him to evacuate their loved ones trapped in devastated towns and villages. He often encounters resistance from those who refuse to leave their homes, clinging to the remnants of their former lives despite the imminent danger. This necessitates repeated trips, attempting to persuade these holdouts to evacuate before it’s too late.
Khrystov recounts the story of a “stubborn grandpa,” illustrating the complex reasons behind people’s reluctance to leave. This elderly man refused evacuation twice, only agreeing on Khrystov’s third attempt. By then, the situation was critical, with the settlement of Kyslivka in the Kharkiv region, where the man lived, on the verge of being overrun by Russian forces. The man’s explanation for his initial refusal was simple yet poignant: he didn’t want to burden his children. This reveals a common theme among those who choose to stay: a profound sense of independence and a desire to avoid becoming a burden on their families, even in the face of extreme danger.
Many of these individuals, isolated and cut off from the outside world, fail to grasp the true magnitude of the war’s devastation. They often cling to a sense of normalcy, unable to comprehend the immediate threat to their lives until it’s almost too late. Khrystov recalls witnessing the initial disbelief among many Ukrainians, who struggled to accept the reality of the missile attacks and shelling directed at civilians. This denial, fueled by Russian propaganda claiming the footage was staged, motivated Khrystov to document his experiences, capturing the raw reality of the war’s impact on civilians.
Driven by the need to counter misinformation and preserve the truth, Khrystov is now transforming hundreds of hours of raw footage, captured on his phone and a GoPro camera mounted on his helmet, into a documentary titled “One Percent of War.” This film chronicles the harrowing evacuations from Avdiivka, a town in the Donetsk region that fell to Russian forces in mid-February 2023. The documentary offers an unfiltered glimpse into the realities of civilian evacuation, showcasing the stories of wounded soldiers, isolated villagers, deceased civilians, and even animals caught in the crossfire. It highlights the urgency of these evacuations, often conducted with only one escape route available and a dwindling window of time to reach safety.
“One Percent of War” captures the human drama unfolding amid the chaos of war. One particularly poignant scene features a civilian rescued from Avdiivka expressing his desire to reach Pokrovsk to reunite with his family. Ironically, Pokrovsk has since become a frontline hotspot, facing relentless shelling and the threat of Russian occupation. The majority of its 60,000 pre-war population has evacuated, but thousands remain, trapped in a city rapidly turning into another scorched earth battleground. This grim reality underscores the cyclical nature of the conflict and the ongoing need for evacuation efforts, as new frontline areas emerge and more civilians find themselves in desperate need of rescue. For Khrystov and other volunteers, the mission continues, a race against time to save those who remain, even as the dangers escalate.
