Before the war, Larysa and her family led the typical life of an ordinary Ukrainian family from the south. She was a housewife. Her husband worked in construction. And they had a vegetable garden and cattle. Everything changed after the Russian invasion in February 2022.

In a few days, the village was under the complete control of the occupier’s troops. Thorough searches, looting, and threats to residents began. Russian soldiers came without knocking or an invitation. Eight people came by, asked many questions about the “special operation” and called to stand on Russia’s side. It was scary during such visits. This unpleasant feeling remained even after they were over.

The occupiers tracked down patriotic Ukrainians, practiced beatings, and could throw them “into the basement” for an indefinite period. Peasants were forced to speak Russian and learn the national anthem of the Russian Federation. Once, they shot a man in the legs for listening to Ukrainian music.

Larysa was worried about her son so much. She was afraid that occupiers would take the child away from her and not return. Mykyta did not go to a Russian school because Ukrainian children were taught anti-Ukrainian propaganda there. For two years, the boy also hardly went outside.

The only thing that saved Larysa in the occupation was painting. Although she did not study anywhere, the woman painted patriotic pictures, icons, Jesus Christ, and Cossacks. She painted and prayed for Ukraine. But when she was leaving, she had to burn all these drawings to avoid interrogations at the border.

During the occupation, the family lived only on what the husband earned in construction. One day, Mykhailo’s heart couldn’t take it all, and he suddenly died. It was the last straw for Larysa. The woman decided to leave the occupation. Volunteers helped Larysa and her son get to free Ukraine. The trip was difficult and exhausting. But when they finally saw the Ukrainian flag, they felt indescribable relief.
Now, the family is temporarily living in one of the Save Ukraine centers. They have a long recovery process ahead of them after the experience. Larysa dreams of visiting her eldest daughter in Bulgaria, and Mykyta dreams of becoming a soldier.

We invite you to support the work of the project via the link.

P.S. For security, the names of the characters have been changed.