Dmytro Moskva, Olena's husband, defended his native Mariupol in the early days of the invasion, was wounded and captured by russians. Olena was expecting a baby at that time, she was at the end period of her pregnancy. She managed to escape from the embattled city to her parents in the village. This was also an occupied territory.
Olena did not know what has happened to her husband until she saw an interview with Ukrainian war prisoners on russian TV. Dima was among them! Later, he contacted her from the penal facility where the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukrainian were imprisoned. And he was even able to choose a name for the child!
Olena gave birth to a daughter named Veronika. However, she could not leave the occupied territory due to problems with documents. Even after Dima was exchanged! The defender of Mariupol took his daughter in his arms only eight months after her birth. Olena shared her story as part of the "Heart of Azovstal" project.
