It is only on a voluntary basis. So how much to make of Russian authorities offering their citizens a ride out of Belgorod? The western city across from Ukraine's Kharkiv is increasingly the target of Moscow's own medicine: a steady diet of missiles from the sky. As NATO leaders meet in Brussels, the battle for air superiority is squarely on the radar of both sides.
As we approach the third anniversary of Vladimir Putin's bid to take Kyiv, drones, planes and the flying projectiles they carry could make all the difference in breaking the bloody stalemate on the ground. For the West, it's a race against time.
With financing for Ukraine in limbo and 2024 serving up the chance of Donald Trump returning to power in the US, we ask about Europe's efforts to ensure its own defence and thwart Putin's westward march.
Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Juliette Laurain and Imen Mellaz.