‘For me, the war means…’

Complete devastation. Anxiety.

When did the war in Donbass begin for you?

When I saw, with my own eyes, an explosion on the left bank. I heard explosions. It’s one thing when you see it on TV and sympathize, but it’s another thing when you see it in reality. The beginning of the war were strikes/rallies, when people gathered on Maidan (the Independence Square).

What did you talk about with your family and neighbours during active hostilities?

What to do next. A plan of action.

What do you remember the most from the experience you went through during the war?

There were many important moments. When you are forced to leave your home and seek refuge to avoid getting caught by shelling…

We tend to erase unpleasant events from our memory. What event from the beginning of the armed conflict in Donbass would you like to forget about (or cannot forget)?

Well, I try to forget everything.

Did you relocate/kept relocating because of the war?

We left for Kharkiv. We then returned a year later because you cannot really live in an apartment you don’t own, without a fork and a spoon, without a pillow… Even if you find people who had sympathy, compassion, it is still difficult.

What changes did the war bring into your life?

This is a re-evaluation of everything – the attitude towards life, towards your loved ones. At that moment, everyone was more closely knit, which cannot be said about how it was before and after. Afterwards, people get relaxed, take it easier.

Tell us please how the war affected your everyday life.

Absolutely everything has changed. When you have money, you save up for some refurbishment, for a car, and then there is a fear of losing what you have. There was a re-evaluation of absolutely everything.

Do you feel safe now?

No, I absolutely don’t. If the top leaders could come to an agreement and put an end to it all. So that the shelling is stopped, so that men with weapons cease standing at the border, so that they return home to their families, to their wives, to their mothers who are waiting for them.

What do you dream about?

I dream to see all people on this planet being happy. So that no one would make war, everyone would have a roof over their heads, no one would be worried about tomorrow.

What has become the most valuable and important for you in recent years?

In recent years, it is the health and life of loved ones, for sure.

Has your attitude towards life changed because of the war?

Yes. Recently, there have been fewer jobs and some jobs were cut down. People began to leave in search of earnings. All of this had its effect. People got used to being in a state of anxiety. But this is not normal.

What did you learn while overcoming all those difficulties you told us about?

How to strike compromises. How to have compassion and rejoice in what you have.