‘Every time we came with the humanitarian aid, we were greeted almost with flowers’

I was a volunteer driver at the Humanitarian Center “Here to Help” of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation. I delivered the humanitarian aid. The war was around. There was shelling and people all around. Once we came under fire. A sniper fired intensely and made us lie on the ground. As soon as we got up and began to hand out food packages, he began to shoot again. He put us on the ground. We barely escaped with our lives.

There was one more case when we were caught by shellfire. The computer batteries were down, so we were busy with pulling a power extension cord. It hit so hard nearby! It just shed upon us; we could not understand what it was.

There are mines all around, especially in Opytne and Mayorsk [mined areas]. We would drive and feel scared as mines were all around. We could be blown up sky-high.

Every time we came with the humanitarian aid, we were greeted almost with flowers. People were very happy. The help was very good, and they were waiting for it very much.

If you could see the conditions in which people live. They cook on open fire, on cast-iron stoves both in winter and in summer. Their living conditions are very close to combat conditions or battlefield conditions.

I would like to see people living a normal life, not just me, everyone. To see it all end soon (crying).