scared. >> reporter: julia says she had to hang up. >> it's very emotional. i can't fathom what she went through. somebody i love. >> reporter: yulia and the boys rushed to the one room in the house with no windows. >> they were shocked. nikita started crying. >> reporter: hours later, more signs of war. >> we saw this helicopter which was throwing fire rockets from both sides of it. >> what did you think? >> my house will be bombed like next second. >> was your biggest fear? >> that she wouldn't make it out. >> that she would die? >> possibly. >> as yulia drove away with nikita and max, she agonized over leaving her third son martin behind. >> my son is left there and obviously i can't take him with me. >> martin died of cancer in 2019. he was four years old and how does a mother fleeing war take