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The rumours started a week before, probably. I worked in a kindergarten. I came to work as usual, and one of our teachers was panicking: “There will be a war, and that’s it”. She was scaring the children. This is the most terrible thing, I think. I said:

00:23.823 --> 00:43.605 position:50% align:middle
The rumours started a week before, probably. I worked in a kindergarten. I came to work as usual, and one of our teachers was panicking: “There will be a war, and that’s it”. She was scaring the children. This is the most terrible thing, I think. I said:

00:43.605 --> 00:54.197 position:50% align:middle
War! Hey, Sasha”. I didn’t believe it. I opened all the social networks. We went to the kindergarten, they called us. I don’t understand why they had to call everyone to the kindergarten, if then the siren started, and everyone ran home,

00:54.197 --> 01:09.233 position:50% align:middle
of course, to pack their things and run away. I didn’t really understand it. And then I packed my things and left. I’m actually from Oleshky. It is now occupied, unfortunately, in the “grey zone”. I wanted to go there. Unfortunately,

01:09.233 --> 01:24.698 position:50% align:middle
there was a post there, and we were not allowed to go for a long time. And then the hostilities started. Just when civilians were passing through. It was terrible. Such emotions, unfortunately... It’s a pity that our people went through that.

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Did you make it to Oleshky?

01:26.911 --> 01:46.095 position:50% align:middle
Yes, of course. I walked home. It was horrible. We heard shooting, they were fighting for the town, so to speak. It was a nightmare. I lived under occupation for 3 months and then left, thank God. What was the worst thing about the occupation?

01:46.095 --> 02:06.033 position:50% align:middle
It felt like you were under some kind of dome. You know, like a bird locked in a cage. And God forbid you sing something or say something. Then that’s it. That’s how it was. Because [the occupiers] walked around as if they were at home.

02:06.033 --> 02:24.943 position:50% align:middle
They behaved the same way. It was very scary to walk defiantly there. I’m actually a pretty big girl. I can even show you a video of how I walked. I made a paranja for myself. I walked around, and some people would say to me:

02:24.943 --> 02:35.067 position:50% align:middle
“As-salamu alaykum”. I said: “Wa alaykumu s-salam”. They asked: “Are you a Muslim?” – “No.” – “Then why are you dressed like that?” – “I just have greasy hair”. I wanted them not to notice me,

02:35.067 --> 02:49.040 position:50% align:middle
but they noticed me anyway. It was scary. Stories of rape and violence against young girls began to emerge, and we were simply gathered and sent to Zaporizhzhia with volunteers.