Oleksandra’s story

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“The war completely changed our lives. When our village came under heavy bombardment, we decided to flee with our family. At the time, I was seven months pregnant. We left with only a single bag of belongings and our documents.

My income is very small, and rent and utility costs keep rising. Our financial situation is extremely difficult. We have to cut back on food, clothing, and even medicine. We used to work in agriculture, but we lost everything – our house was destroyed, and nothing remained of our farm.

Now we live in Zaporizhzhia, where the situation remains dangerous. Due to air raids, we try to move around as little as possible and stay indoors. We have no one to rely on but ourselves.”

Oleksandra (31) lives in the city of Zaporizhzhia, where she moved with her family from the village of Mala Tokmachka. She has two daughters, aged 8 and 2, and a husband. Before the full-scale war, around 3,000 people lived in Oleksandra’s home village. Today, the front line is just 3 kilometres away, and occupied territories are less than 10 kilometres from it. In December 2024, the village was mandatorily evacuated.

Tetyana’s story

“The war has had a severe impact on our family. Two years ago, my husband was seriously injured in a bombing when shrapnel struck his spine. He received the necessary treatment and initial rehabilitation, but it was not enough. His health has not improved over the past two years. At the moment, we have neither the means nor the financial resources to continue his rehabilitation. We now live by the principle: if we have made it through the day, then that is good enough. It is noisy here due to constant attacks, and it is very frightening. However, moving elsewhere is difficult.

Schools and kindergartens here are closed, so the children are at home all the time. They cannot play outside because it is too dangerous – air raid alarms sound constantly, and there is always a risk of bombing. Our family’s financial situation is also difficult. I cannot go to work because I have to care for my husband and two children. We dream of the day the war will end.”

Tetyana (31)’s husband was severely injured in a bombing and is now unable to work. They have two children – a 5-year-old son and a 12-year-old daughter. The family currently lives in the village of Krasnotorka in the Donetsk region, on the outskirts of Kramatorsk, about 25 kilometres from the front line. This area is under constant attack from guided bombs, rockets, and drones.

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Galyana’s story

“It is impossible to talk about how our lives have changed without tears. Our house was destroyed by guided bombs, and we were left with nothing. We moved to another village, 10 kilometres from our former home. Our village is still under constant bombardment, with artillery fire and drones reaching this area. Living in the midst of this is incredibly difficult. During one attack, my husband was killed, and I suffered a severe gunshot wound to the abdomen. The doctors saved my life, but my health was severely affected, and I require ongoing treatment.

I now live in a house with my son, daughter, and grandchild. I am grateful to have them by my side. Our financial situation is extremely difficult. We keep chickens to feed ourselves. Occasionally, humanitarian aid is delivered to our village, which is a great help, as the prices of utilities, medicine, and food have risen sharply. More than anything, I dream that our children can live in peace. That is the most important thing.”

Galyana (57) currently lives in the village of Novoraisk in the Kherson region. Her home village was 10 kilometres away, on the right bank of the Dnipro River, next to the Kakhovka Reservoir. The entire right bank of the Kherson region was occupied from March to November 2022. The area remains dangerous due to ongoing artillery and drone attacks, and much of the infrastructure has been destroyed or damaged.

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