The invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops two weeks ago left Brazilian dancer Victor Caixeta, 22, stunned in Vladivostok, in eastern Russia.
As Vladimir Putin's tanks surrounded Kyiv, the anguish of his partner, Ukrainian Yekaterina Chebinika, grew.
In recent weeks, the pair of dancers traveled to the last station of the Trans-Siberian railway for the performances of "La Bayadère," at the Primorsky Theater, a branch of the Balé Mariinsky. In fear, they returned to St. Petersburg.
There, every morning the Brazilian faced queues at banks, which no longer had dollars or euros to meet the demand of the population.
He decided to leave the country. "I lost everything I ever dreamed of in my life, all the premieres scheduled for this year. I left my apartment in St. Petersburg fully furnished," says Caixeta. "I put five years of Russia in a single suitcase."
With his girlfriend and dog, he took a bus to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, and is now in Berlin, living with friends.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon