On the night of February 24, Rustam was returning from Odesa to his native Chernihiv. On the approach to the city, he saw columns of cars fleeing the war and soldiers already setting up checkpoints. But even then, his mind refused to believe that what was happening was real. A few hours later, the first explosions were heard, and a few days later, Chernihiv was under siege – without electricity, gas or water, under constant shelling. The most frightening sounds were those of planes dropping bombs and the realisation that his pregnant wife was also under shelling in Kyiv. The happiest moment was when they met after managing to escape the siege. After what he had been through, Rustam began to feel even more acutely how fragile and at the same time precious life is when you are with your loved ones. His greatest dream is a peaceful sky for children, in a world where the word “war” remains only in the pages of textbooks.