KYIV, Ukraine — On day eight of the Russia-Ukraine war, Vladyslav Solodovynk continues to shelter in his home in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital city.
"The first day it was a complete shock," said Solodovynk. "You didn't know what to do. You didn't know where to go."
Solodovynk has lived in Kyiv since 2009 after graduating from Elizabethtown College in Lancaster County. Since fighting broke out in his country, he remains stuck in place, surrounded by scenes of war.
"I see bodies, and I see smoke coming from the tower and that brought it home," he said.
U.S. officials say Russia has launched 480 missiles in Ukraine so far. Solodovynk says he downloaded an app that notifies him of these missiles, with alerts going off nearly 15 times a day.
"Other times the siren goes on, and all of a sudden there's huge explosions," he explained. "Something falls from the sky or there's single shots in the air or there's successive ones that go boom boom."
In case he needs to evacuate, Solodovynk packed an emergency bookbag with essentials. It's an option that is still available to him despite Ukraine banning men ages 18 to 60 from leaving the country.
Solodovynk wasn't chosen to fight in the war because he has no experience shooting guns.
"That was very hard for me because I really wanted to defend Ukraine," he said. "I felt so useless."
Solodovynk says he's been coping as best as he can. He noted conditions in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, are far worse than where he resides in Kyiv.
Solodovynk fears this war will continue without any additional support for the Ukraine military: "I hope they last as long as they can, but unless we get help, I'm afraid this will not be the last democratic country invaded in Europe in the world."