"Let's wait for the end of the war and meet"

Wife:

Great-great-grandfathers were the founders of this farm. They came from Avdiivka, formerly called Hahai. They came here, built little mud huts, then houses.

The village was prosperous. We had work. We held a farmstead. We had animal husbandry. We sowed the fields with wheat, corn, and sunflower. Then we lived well, because it was peaceful. We, children, and grandchildren were all together. We had some kind of stability. We knew what peace was. And now we know what a war is.

My heart is very heavy that the children and grandchildren had to leave. The village was empty. It is very depressing and sad.  Those who remained in the village have heart problems. People die during the war who didn't even get sick.

On 18 June 2014, the bombing began. Pisky and Vodiane were heavily bombed. There was no electricity. We had no electricity for almost two years. The house opposite  is completely destroyed. Our roof and windows are smashed.

Husband:

I thought retiring and living in peace would be different. I thought I would go fishing, catch some fish. I had household to handle. I thought it would be fine.

Life seemed to be falling apart. As they say, we didn't order this. It just happened. The war took a heavy toll on the village. Many people left, many houses were damaged. We have nothing here. Communications are cut off. If you want to call someone, you need to run somewhere, look for a spot somewhere in the field or run along the road. There is no store, no school, nothing.

If I leave the house, where would you go? What will it lead to? I feel fine here. I just wish they stopped bombing. And so everything is fine. 2014 -2016 were was the most terrible years... We were constantly under attacks. When a shell fell here, we fell and hid in the cellars.

Wife:

I was in the yard. My husband went to the garden when something hit us here. I fell. Smoke was everywhere. Glass shattered immediately. The trees were cut down. The fence was wiped out to the asphalt. The roof was badly battered. All the windows were blown out. Not a single window remained. Even the shells hit the window, the roof, the house.

Then we did some repairs there. We tried to fix some things. I was not injured, but I was concussed. I got deaf in one ear. I went to the hospital and was given a hearing aid for free. It works well, but is inconvenient. I'm afraid of losing it all the time.

We help each other. My husband went somewhere. I was so worried. I go out to look. When the bombing began, it was very stressful. I was worried about him. I screamed and cried, "Vania! Vaniechka! Vania, where are you?" It was very stressful for me. In the garden, we work together little by little, water, field, plant everything together, one after the other.

Husband:

My head was spinning all the time. I was afraid that a shell would hit us. You never know where it will fall. We live under such pressure that it is impossible to stand it. Everyone is so nervous. I was healthy. With this war, I have pressure, heart, and breathlessness. I walked around with my head down and  thinking when the war would... Waiting for it to end.

Wife:

God bless everyone. I just wish everyone was alive and well. I wish the war would end. I wish our residents began to return to the village.

We had a very nice, welcoming village. The people were all kind and friendly. I often invite my granddaughter Vladochka. Come, my dear, grandpa. I have missed you very much. We are waiting for you. We love you dearly. We are waiting for you. Let's just wait for the end of the war and meet.