Natalie - Lviv, Ukraine

---

From Natalia in Lviv, Ukraine –  Until February 24, 2022, I had an absolutely normal life in Poltava, like all people – my own apartment, a favorite job, my daughter went to school, my mother is a pensioner. Everything was set up. I could not even imagine that this would happen. Russia attacked Ukraine and a full-scale war began! I did not see the prerequisites for this. I didn’t think I would ever be in this situation.

That night, when Russian troops invaded Ukraine, I woke up to the sound of shelling, the sound of military jets and the sound of an air raid. I received a call from a friend – they told me that Russia had crossed the border of Ukraine and a full-scale invasion had begun.

In the first days of the war, only a slight food panic was felt – canned food, cereals and everything that people usually take in reserve began to disappear. But everything could be found. The only thing that was embarrassing was the queues near the ATMs, because people were trying to withdraw cash.

Then various things began to gradually disappear in the city. At first, interruptions began with the light – it was turned on and off. Then the water disappeared. Eventually the gas was turned off.

But the worst thing is that the telephone connection began to disappear, the Internet disappeared. People were left without the opportunity to communicate, could not call an ambulance or the police.

This was felt in the city, and a real panic began. Grocery and pharmacies did not work. Everything was closed or looted. People who were left without food found themselves in a terrible situation. It really was a humanitarian catastrophe.

From the very first days of the war, I joined the volunteer movement, which helped not only civilians, but also our servicemen. It was organized by several public organizations.

We helped with food, water, fuel and, of course, hygiene products and medicines. Those who could transfer these things from warehouses, shops, gave them to us, and we already distributed them.

We interacted with the police, the military, Azov, the National Guard, and the Marines. Of course, we also worked with the civilian population, those whose houses were destroyed. They were moved to makeshift shelters.

Most of the day I lived in our volunteer hub. It was a basement. Plus, there was a shelter where you could hide from shelling.

All the supplies that were in the city turned out to be finite. There was a lack of elementary things – for example, insulin. People who were undergoing oncotherapy stopped receiving their drugs. A huge number of people who were on replacement therapy or took antidepressants were also left without these drugs.

I decided to take my daughter and mother to a safer place, Lviv, it was too dangerous to remain in Poltava and no one knew what could happen in the near future! we tried to leave twice, it was dangerous and scary. for the first time we were traveling by car with people who were going to the west of Ukraine and agreed to take us with them. But as soon as we left for a neighboring city, a rocket fell far from our car and we had to turn around. the car was damaged, after which we managed to transfer to the evacuation bus and get to Lviv. Later, my mother arrived with my daughter, she spoiled her health a lot because of the stress that she had to endure during this time. She has problems with the heart and blood vessels.

We arrived with only a suitcase of clothes, little money, no job, no place to stay and no food.  I am so grateful to Refugee Support Foundation which has helped us with funds for shelter, food, medicine for my sick and aged mother, and even some warm clothes for our fierce Ukrainian winters. I’m glad we’re relatively safe here, but we had to start life over again.

I really hope the war ends. There is no forgiveness for the occupiers who did this. And great pride for the Ukrainians who defend Ukraine