Stories that you confided to us
We kept canned vegetables in our basement. There was a mattress and tinned meats there... Sometimes we ran there at midnight, and sometimes at four in the morning. Most of the attacks took place at night. We took the little children in our arms; the older ones ran to the basement by themselves. Dad took the youngest one and rushed to the basement.
There is a crack in the wall. The house inclined. The corner wall inclined drastically. There's a crack on the other side as well.
When the ceiling fell on me, I was 7 months pregnant… Luckily, the baby and I were Ok. Although it is terrible to live in such a house, we still live in it. Everything was crumbling away.
When they were born, it was just beginning. Children still don't understand everything, although they say that "The boom-boom-boom is again."
Before the war, the fisherman and hunter association was looking for someone to live, protect this house, keep order and pay for utilities. And now we have been living here for 12 years. We maintain the order, plant the garden, do some repairs. Now the house is in disrepair. There is one room where we live with the children.
If only there was a chance to leave, we would take it even though I love my home. We didn't leave our home during the whole war. We have been here during the numerous attacks.
I was very concerned, because I just gave birth to my first child. We had to hide in the basement at that time. And then, when this whole war started, I was pregnant with another baby. The child, of course, was very sensitive to the war sounds. He twitched practically all the time very much twitching. I was afraid, too. I guess he could sense it.
So we ran around and hid in basements. Then, when fragments fell on us, all windows were knocked out. We had to replace them. So now we have to live in fear. Whenever we hear this banging sound, we rush to the basement.
People sometimes come here, and when they hear the banging sound, they say, "How can you live here?" Like we have a choice. Even children know what the "bang" means.
There is no one we could ask to help us. Our roof leaks, because shell fragments damaged the slate. There is water on the street. Well, we are coping. At least, we have roof over our heads.
Otherwise, where would I go?
It is very difficult, indeed. Food products are very expensive, which is frustrating. Sometimes it is very difficult to live on the money we receive. Before the war, we could make ends meet somehow.
The main thing is to see our children fed. Other things, like clothes, can are not that crucial.
My main task is to buy food so that the children are fed. We have to cut corners on clothes. We wear out what we have.
We live for our children. Setting them on their feet is the most important thing. Every person fears something. We are all afraid, we are all in God's hands. It's all in God's hands.
When quoting a story, a reference to the source – the Museum of Civilian Voices of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation – is mandatory, as follows:
The Museum of Civilian Voices of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation https://civilvoicesmuseum.org/
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