"I was born in the city of roses and miners"

I was born in Donetsk - a city of roses and miners. I always thought that this is the best, most beautiful industrial city, and I never could I have thought that there would be a war in my city.

War is a conflict between different states that occurs due to various claims, in the form of armed hostilities. In general, war is a test for everyone in the form of grief, tears, hunger, destruction of homes and families. There is not a single family that has not been affected by the war to some extent.

When the war broke out, I lived in Zuhres.

Presently, we live in Kyiv, for which I thank the lucky stars, my husband and DTEK. My second daughter was born here, and I am a very happy mother – I have the best and most loving family.

And then, suddenly, it was taken over. It was no longer somewhere far away, but near. It was in our city.

My mother stayed in Donetsk. Our decision to move to Kyiv was a shock for her at first. It is hard to live in the temporarily occupied territory. People get often shot, relatives and friends leave, businesses are closed, and most importantly, it is difficult emotionally when you start remembering that before 2014 we have a completely different life.

"I would like to forget this whole nightmare"

The most difficult test was to change residence, and when the Boeing crashed in July, which happened not far from us.

My daughter and I were at home, when the dishes in the kitchen begin to jingle. I was in the living-room, reading a book. Suddenly the walls seemed to shake. At first I didn't even understand what had happened. So I ran to my daughter's room and started calling my husband. My husband calmed me down and told me not to worry. It was that evening when they told on the news that the plane was shot down and 298 people were killed.

After this event, I packed up and took my child to visit relatives, because I was afraid for the life of the child and my own as well. I would like to forget all this nightmare: the shelling, the crashed Boeing, Illovaisk, destroyed houses and a great number of deaths. I feel especially sorry for the children who have just started their lives and are not guilty of anything. But the war took their lives. It is terrifying. I don't want anyone to go through this.

After the company where we worked was taken over in March 2017, my husband and I packed up and left. It was very difficult to leave the place where I was born and lived for so many years, where my home is, where my roots are my whole life has passed.

Do the civilians need humanitarian aid? Yes, I believe that peaceful citizens and pensioners can be categorised as people who need humanitarian assistance. But most of all, they need peace!

What is happiness?

Now I can say for sure that happiness is a peaceful blue sky over our heads and when those we love are healthy and alive. When the war broke out, I began to look at the world differently and appreciate simple little things.

We need to learn to appreciate every moment of life, and learn to live it like the last one, drawing in great lungsful of fresh air and living big. I know that now.