"27 shells fell here"

I worked all my life on the railroad. As well as my husband. We were given this house. It was in a bad condition. We fixed it up. We were doing great  until the war started.

My husband died before the war, on 5 December 2013. And in 2014, I don't remember the exact date, 27 shells fell here for the first time. People sat in basements or ran wherever they could. It was a mess. Doors and walls were ruined.  The kids fixed them with plasticine. The walls were cracked. We tried to do some repairs, but it not enough. It all may fall down any minute. Then the son took the construction foam and pasted all these holes.

The Butovka mine is located behind our house. We live here alone. Me and my two sons. My other three sons left this place. They didn't want to stay here. They have to rent apartments somewhere. But they come to visit us from time to time. One son went to Kramatorsk, the other went to Selydove, and the third came here. He lives in an apartment. They have to knock about. The boys come by, but they don't wants to live here. They are afraid because of the attacks.

Bus136 used to run here. So we were able to go to Donetsk, Spartak, and Opytne. We live near Pisky. We could often hear how Pisky are under attack. They shot in Pisky every day. There is no such day that they would cease fire.

Shells fell right here, right behind our fence, outside our gate. My son was wounded, then concussed. It was an explosion. He was deafened. That's why no one wants to live here. The attacks still go on.

The trains used to run to Yasynuvata and Donetsk. Now the road is completely destroyed.

We live here alone. No one needs us. Especially me. No one cares what I am doing here or how I live here. I'm sick, I have bad kidneys. It must have been triggered by the stress. I've never been sick before. It was something we didn't expect.

My children wake up early in the morning. It's not very dangerous right now, but it's still scary. Especially in the morning, as these arrivals begin, the son must go to work. We often quarrel, because I tell him t stay. I'm afraid for him. However, someone has to earn money.

We don't have any conditions here. We have no light, no gas. We cook food over a campfire. We live like primal people. That is terrible. No ambulance, no one comes here. I don't go to the store, my son does. Even though it is not far from here, by the wood line.

The worst thing is that we have no light. My boys go to work, and I stay here. There are times when I have to stay alone at night. If you only knew how terrible it is. I have  two dogs. So I often hold them like this and sit with them by the door until my sons come home. I am afraid to be alone. So I sit, hug the dogs, and we sit like this until morning. As soon as it started to get light, I say, "Thank God that everything is fine!"