"During the shelling, I lie down next to my sick wife, thinking, "Whatever happens, happens"

It's about 10 kilometers from the airport. We have three shell holes in our garden. Windows were smashed, fronton was smashed, fence was knocked down. Everything is destroyed. They left immediately when a shell fell in the yard. People hid in the basement. My wife is ill, she is confined to bed. Where can we go? So we just hide. I lie down on the second bed. What is to be will be. No one needs us. We're alone.

I go around to bring some firewood. I can't do it any more. It is dangerous to go there. There may be shells there. I've already cut down the whole garden, all fruit trees, everything. There is nowhere to go. I had to cut down the acacia. We came here in 1992. It was already here. I felt sorry for it, but what should I have done? There was nothing left to burn to get warm. I cut it off and used it as firewood. I don't know what I will do when I cut it all.

We had no light for eight months. I use it to cook and do everything. I can't leave my wife. I have to go to Orlivka or Avdiivka to buy some medicines. It takes me about  three or three and a half hours to get there on the bike. Then I have to come back and some household work.

Wife:

I can't walk. She takes care of me. I have a bad heart. I have high blood pressure. Furthermore, my legs gave out. At least I used to walk on sticks, but now I can't walk. It's been almost a year since they fired. They were shooting past our house all night. Apparently, my legs failed due to constant stress. My hand began to shake. We could not buy any medicines during the attacks. I haven't been outside in years.