‘I went to Donetsk to look for my dog Aza, but she found me herself in Novomykhailivka!’

I bought her when she was one month old. Aza, come to me, my clever girl, come to me, my dear. I have no one dearer than you. She follows my orders. She is not that simple as it might seem. She can sit and give me her paw (shake)… Give me your paws, both of them, that’s it, my clever girl, my dear. You are my beauty. You are my dear. She came here, to Novomykhailivka, from Petrivka, from Donetsk! She came on her own. We parted there and then I came to look for her, but I could not find her there. It turned out that she was following the scent, she was following the trail.

I congratulated my granddaughter on her birthday on 6 December. Then I got dressed and planned to have a walk, to get some fresh air. So, I was walking and noticed something at the turn of the road. I said ‘Is that Aza?’ This is Aza!’ She started running around. I said: ‘Azunia!’ And she just rushed towards me. I took her home. She was dirty and skinny. Just the ribs covered with skin.

I was born in Zaporizhzhya region, Pryazovya village, Pryazovskyi district. My mother and my father are from that place. Our mother took us to Donetsk in 1948. And so, I lived in Petrivka all that time.

When the shelling began, I ended up on the street. The shelling hit the market and my house is just opposite to the market. They were shooting and shelling there. When I was leaving, the housing seemed to be intact. I phoned my granddaughter and asked. She said: ‘Granny, your house was destroyed by shelling’. I left in 2013 and then visited the place two or three times when I was looking for Aza. After that I never went there anymore.

I was looking for an apartment, but no one offered housing to me. I lived at the priest’s place. And then, a woman offered me to live in this small house. She worked as a street cleaner. She said that there was a small house. And then Aza came. I looked for a place where no one would bother her. So, I came and had a look. I said: ‘good, some garbage there, but I will clean it up, as much as I can.’

I don’t feel alone. I felt alone when I lived there, but I don’t feel alone here. There is one dog, another dog and cats. I make some cooking and then can go out and pull out some weeds, or do something else, you know. My major problem is that it is difficult for me financially. In March I submitted documents for getting IDP payments, but there is nothing yet. I get my pension, but I spent it as I bought some firewood. They delivered it. So, little by little. There were some trees here. I cut them down and used them for firewood. I fend for myself as much as I can.

A box from the fridge. I store my food here to protect it from mice and flies. And I have a pit where I can keep my food fresh. It is damp here. This is my soup that I cooked yesterday. I will heat it up today. Here is the coolest corner.

I bought some firewood and I cut some firewood myself. When I first came here, there was plenty of garbage here… I could not stick my head inside the room! This is the door that I put myself. I bricked up three windows. I did everything myself here. The house is quite warm, but it needs to be refurbished. Extra hands are needed. I only have two hands and I am alone here.