Stories that you confided to us
Hanna Zhyzhkina, mother:
This is the first time when I got behind the wheel since then… There was not any desire [to drive]. It was sort of cut off completely. It was even unpleasant to drive. I remember how the child was crying: ‘Mom, faster, faster! Just don't stop the car!’ And at that moment there came a popping sound. I felt that pieces of glass were on my back… It was hardly pleasant. Since then, I have not had any desire to drive and have not got behind the wheel again, under any circumstances.
It was still daylight then. It was in May 2014. We were driving calmly and slowly, without violating any rules. We crossed the highway. We stopped near the filling station because there was some popping sound. We stopped and jumped out of the car. My husband, who was ahead of us, also stopped. We had nowhere to go further. We stopped because the road in front of us was completely blocked.
Serhiy Zhyzhkin, husband:
We were going from the garden. We drove there every day, at the same time. There was only one passable road. There was no water supply, no electricity and Internet in the city. We were engaged in gardening and also wanted our children to get a feel for it. On 18 May 2014, my family and I came under fire. BZS checkpoint (fuel filling station) in Slovyansk city.
Our car was shot at. We were driving without creating any obstacles and not causing any disturbances for anyone. They shot at the car. An explosive bullet hit the vehicle and caused an injury. Our son was wounded.
A bullet went along the roof. It went further tangentially along the window glass hitting the trunk lid. Fragments flew through the trunk lid into the cabin. Going through the seats, it got directly into the body of our son. My wife was in the car together with our son. I was driving ahead of them in a truck with my younger son and my mother-in-law.
They fired without warning. We could not pose danger for anyone there. We were driving according to the rules, stopped before the highway. Nobody came up to us, no help was provided. The police filed a case of an “attempted murder” and it is still there…
Hanna Zhyzhkina:
I don’t really want to recall this, but I have to recall it involuntarily. Nobody helped us during all this time, but quite unexpectedly, we received a call from the Rinat Akhmetov Humanitarian Center and were offered help. Naturally, we agreed and are very grateful, because there are few people in our city who could provide this kind of help free, for nothing. With such committed and well-trained staff. Thank you so much!
Mykyta, son:
I convey my deepest gratitude to Rinat Leonidovych [Akhmetov] for the fact that he helps not only me. I also saw [that he helps] other children, other people who suffered.
Serhiy Zhyzhkin:
Throughout the duration of our treatment – two years – no one responded, except for the Rinat Akhmetov Humanitarian Center. Medical assistance has been provided. It is a post-rehabilitation treatment. Follow-up work with psychologists, because this is important. We are thankful to the Humanitarian Centre for responding.
When quoting a story, a reference to the source – the Museum of Civilian Voices of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation – is mandatory, as follows:
The Museum of Civilian Voices of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation https://civilvoicesmuseum.org/
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