Nataliia's life changed forever at 4:30 in the morning when her husband called with an alarming message: war had broken out. He asked Nataliia and their children to stay at home, gather their documents and be ready to leave if the situation became too dangerous. But they decided not to leave Konotop.

At eight in the morning, Russian troops entered the town. It was under occupation for two months. The support of her children became Nataliia's main source of strength in these difficult times.

Her husband, border guard Andriy Maistrenko, went through the hell of the battles for Mariupol and was taken prisoner by Russia. The defender spent 21 months in captivity. Today, the family has returned to the life they knew before the war. But the memories of their experiences will remain with them forever.