On February 24, 2022, Olena woke up to explosions in the neighbouring town of Vasylkiv. It was scary. We immediately started preparing a cellar to hide in. We needed the shelter very quickly, because the next day enemy planes appeared over Markhalivka. On March 5, they dropped two bombs on an ordinary peaceful village in the Kyiv region, killing several families and partially or completely destroying many houses.

Elena and her children also felt the blast wave. Fortunately, they were not injured and left Markhalivka the next day. They returned home in May.

Olena dreams of a different childhood for her children, so that they are not afraid of alarms and the sound of explosions.