24 February

THE FIRST DAY

Iuliia Didkivska

Since that day the calendar dates have disappeared for us. Now we have the first day of the war, the second… and so on…

Now we have our own calendar, the calendar of this violent  war against the whole nation…

 

 

We are the generation that used to learn about the horror of the war from our grandparents who had deep scars and shocking stories, also from the films and books… I remember my granny would say all the time when we were complaining, “That is not as bad as the war! You’ll deal with this… it is better than  to experience the war!” I didn’t recognize then how true it was… Now I do.

My morning sleep was broken with some strange sounds from the outside and a phone call from my sister, “The war has started! Run away! They are bombing!” That is how the first bloody day started. 

 

 

Anna Mychak Pshenichnaya

I speak Russian. I come from Nikolaev.

I speak Ukrainian fluently as well.

I live in Brovary near Kyiv.

My family is my husband, 3 children, a cat and a dog woke up at 5 am from the blows from the sky 24.02.2022.

Three claps - clap, clap, clap ...

We knew, we expected, but we didn't believe until the last minute...

My  neighbor called me late in the evening the day before. I warned that tomorrow something would happen,” PICKED UP CHILDREN and run away…”  Such kind of calls became regular for the last two weeks…

I was scared and I didn't want to believe it at the same time. I called authoritative sources for me and calmed down. Calmed the brain, but not the heart. I started thinking of something  I would need to collect.

05:00 am. The husband is sleeping. Anxious sleep ....

My family - 3 children, a cat, a dog woke up at 5 am from the blows from the sky 24.02.2022.

3 claps - clap, clap, clap ...

We were the first to be bombed. Military base was near our block of flats.

Anxious night sleeping helped (the experience of 3 children for a reason)

There was no doubt! It started!

The children got up with a click, before that they had been crying for more than a day just from the news. Instant fees.

I called my friends in Kyiv and woke her up. The whole area of ​​Kyiv on the right bank slept peacefully.

Everyone was gathered on the phone. Fortunately - everything was agreed and agreed in advance, who, where and how would go in case of "emergency"

There were 6 cars with families with small children.

6:00 - men are smoking nervously and  waiting.

We have collected  everything that was the  most important. My 10-year-old daughter has taken the elf's ears, she believes in miracles.

We're in the car.

My dude is everything! - 22.02 the car is refueled :)

We left in two cars and our friends from Bykovna joined us on the way. 

Task №1 - to move the bridges. We moved. Exhaled.

We go fast  past Kyiv without problems.

We got into a traffic jam on Goloseevsky.

We go long, hard, panic, traffic jams, children. I need gas.

There are queues of 100 cars at gas stations. Refuel quickly, as it is easier with gas.

 

ATB on the highway. There are products, people without hysteria but prepared and methodically rake everything. We take only what is necessary. No surplus.

 

We succeeded. Some are earlier, some are later or even at night six families recheached the safe destination point.

We are warm, kind and loving. Thanks to friends. Together we are a force! 16 people in one hut. Evacuation. "A Glove"

 

We are nervous and worried, we watch the news,  we call relatives and friends several times a day. My parents live in Nikolaev near some strategic objects. My brother is somewhere on the ship trying to keep in touch with his wife and daughter at home in Nikolaev. 

 A lot of friends all over the country are staying in basements and bomb shelters.

 

My children did not have time to get scared, but this is undoubtedly the scariest thing we could ever imagine.

Ukraine is our land and we are not going to flee anywhere. We are going to protect it!

GLORY TO UKRAINE!