TAMPA, Fla. — Robert Platt was in the U.S. Army infantry for 22 years. 

He and his wife had lived a quiet life for 15 years just outside Kiev – until last month.

Now, the couple’s home is gone, bombed out by the Russian Army. And the Platts have a horrific and unimaginable story of escape and survival. 

Relaying the story from the safety of Poland, it wasn’t hard for Platt to describe how Russia’s war in Ukraine started for him and his wife.

“Imagine just waking up one morning,” Platt said. “Planning to go to your garden and start digging up, getting ready for spring planting, and the next thing you know you have cruise missiles flying over you, the top of you, and heading into the city.”

The Platt’s home was 25 miles northeast of Kiev in a small village, an area the Russian military quickly surrounded as they staged to attack the capital.

“It was touch and go for a while because we were surrounded,” Platt said. “We were surrounded. There was no way we were getting out.”

Robert Platt recalls the dangerous journey and says he was "afraid his situation would not have ended very well” (Spectrum News image)

As the sounds of war closed in on their once quiet life, it wasn’t long before the invasion was on their doorstep. Platt saw a Russian tank and crew rolling down the street in front of his home, and the Russians were randomly picking out houses to take over as they waited to invade Kiev.

“We were worried they were going to come into the house because they were checking passports,” he said. “I don’t speak Ukrainian or Russian alright? So if they would have talked to me, I’m afraid my situation would not have ended very well.”

Being an American meant another concern for Platt, who would be a potentially prized target for the Russians.  

“I spent 22 years in the infantry, so I know the difference between outgoing and incoming rounds,” Platt said. “I know the difference between artillery going off and cannons going off, artillery going off."

“But the thing that breaks my heart is that my wife had to learn that.”

HARROWING RESCUE AND ESCAPE     

As the horrors unfolded all around them, the Platts remained hiding and trapped in their home.

But then a curious text message came on Platt’s cell phone. Help was on the way, thanks to an old friend from the Army, and a rescue group out of Tampa.

The unexpected text message alerted Platt that a rescue operation was underway by a group called Project Dynamo based in Tampa.​

“It was about 4 o’clock in the morning and I got a SMS (message) that said be ready to roll in 20 minutes. So we jumped up and packed up as much as we could.”

That was March 20.

Robert Platt (right) pictured with Bryan Stern with Project Dynamo, who rescued the Platts from outside Kiev on March 20. (Courtesy Project Dynamo)

Safely across the Polish border, Platt credits Project Dynamo and his friend from the Army that tipped the group off to Platt being trapped outside Kiev. 

As the Platts escaped their neighborhood, they said 38 other cars followed them out, taking the same path to safety as they did.

The Russians did find out about the evacuation, and minutes after that evacuation happened, Platt said the Russians shot rockets into the neighborhood leveling several houses there, including theirs.

Platt said no matter how difficult the road ahead, he is grateful.

He said most Ukrainian refugees have the same iron resolve of those that remain there fighting: to return home and to rebuild.

“I will spend every penny that I have, and buy Ukrainian-made products wherever I can,” he said. “And I hope I can live for 100 years and give them all that money back, because they have given me 15 years."

“They have given me a very good life for 15 years, so I plan on staying there until they put me in the ground.”