When Veronika heard the news of the outbreak of a big war, she thought her father was joking. When everything became clear, the family rushed to gather the necessary things and prepare for the worst. Soon, explosions and enemy attacks became more frequent in the city, but there were no air raid warnings. Because of the bombing and the danger that hung over Izium, Veronika’s family left their hometown. Her parents returned home several times to get their belongings and saw almost nothing in the region except devastation and burned houses.