What makes you think that "every major city was destroyed"? Kiev has been saved, all cities west of it, Odessa is still defended (the Russians aren't very close

What makes you think that "every major city was destroyed"? Kiev has been saved, all cities west of it, Odessa is still defended (the Russians aren't very close to it). But indeed the Russians destroyed the cities they conquered in the east. And yes, a lot of Ukrainians sought and found refuge in the EU. That doesn't mean they emigrated.