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When we were driving, shells flew at our heads. A story of evacuation from Donetsk region

No man ever steps in the same river twice. At least that’s what people say. However, life can deny this at any moment. Confirmation of this is the story of Nadiya Dyomina.

When the war started in the east of the country, she was forced to leave her native Donetsk and move to Vugledar. Until February 24, 2022, it seemed that it was safe there. But fate decreed otherwise – the war crept so close that further stay in the city became impossible. And she was on her way again with her suitcases.

Today she is in the Czech Republic, like thousands of Ukrainian women. Learn to feel more comfortable in an unfamiliar country. She wants to earn money, because the people of Donbas rightfully say that they are hardworking people. But her soul still aches. For the old women who could not leave Vugledar. For the house that was hit by enemy shells. For the uncertain future.

Of course, they follow what is happening in their native land. They feel the vibes of Vugledar. They know how humanitarian aid and medicine are delivered to the city. They read about what the local government is doing for life support and preparation for the heating season. They believe in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in their capability to protect this piece of Ukrainian land. 

Olena Horyacheva

16.07.2022

Video is prepared within the project “Countering Disinformation in Southern and Eastern Ukraine” funded by the European Union.