Before the full-scale invasion, Mykhailo was in the ATO, but on February 24, the war came to his village.

The Russians found out about his service very quickly, so they regularly came to his home with searches and threats. They wanted to find a weapon, tied him up, put a bag on his head, and took him to an unknown location, beat him with the stock of a gun/taser/stick. Often, after interrogations, they could throw him out in the middle of the street without taking him home. Mykhailo’s friend did not manage to survive Russian torture. After another interrogation, his kidney failed, and he died. That’s how Russians tortured many former Ukrainian soldiers in the village, including 18-year-old boys who had not even served. They took those who did not survive to a large pit in the cemetery.

Mykhailo’s wife, Yuliia, lost her job after February 24 and spent all her time with their six children. The children tried not to go outside. And as soon as they saw the Russian military, they quickly hid. However, the kids could not get used to constant explosions and shelling. They cried hard when a shell destroyed their room.

There was also a problem with education. The occupation authorities had threatened to deprive Mykhailo and Yuliia of their parental rights if they did not send their children to a Russian school. Or if they found out about distance studying in the Ukrainian school.

They had more troubles when the time came to give birth to the seventh child. Yuliia had to take Russian documents, or the occupiers would not give the child from the maternity hospital to her.

The last time Russian soldiers came to the man, they started threatening to take away his children and wife and bury him somewhere. However, the family no longer had the strength to resist. That’s why they decided to leave.

Today, Mykhailo and Yuliia, with their children, are safe. Our team helped the family successfully leave for the territory controlled by Ukraine. But the traumas of the war left deep wounds, so they require a long process of recovery. Today, they have to start their life over but are grateful for the chance to live a peaceful life.

“We have everything there. It’s hard to start all over again,” says Yuliia. But the most important thing is that their children are now safe and have a chance for a future without war.

P.S. The names of the characters have been changed for security purposes.