Nataliia woke up to explosions on February 24, 2022. Her husband sensed the war; Nataliia did not believe it until the sound confirmed it. As early as February 28, her village was occupied by russians. Nataliia watched enemy soldiers with assault rifles near her house. She and her husband spent half a year under occupation, under shelling. Then came evacuation and checks at checkpoints. Nataliia is a poet; she writes poetry and was raised from childhood on Shevchenko and Lesia Ukrainka.