Illustrated by marikinoo
43-year-old businesswoman Tetiana has not been outdoors for several days. In her native Kherson, the war lasts already a week, and they are forbidden to go out to save their lives. The city is full of Russian troops. They shoot everyone they meet, rob grocery stores, and intimidate citizens.
I call Tetiana on March 1 at about 4 p.m. We talk to the sounds of gunshots. Tetiana and her 13-year-old daughter live on the ground floor of a high-rise building. They are always ready to run to the basement. But the shelter is full of people, so they go there only when the noise is severe.
Tetiana learned about the war on television and from her friends. Russian troops from the Crimea occupied in 2014 entered neighboring cities.
‘They fired from both sides, and it was sheer horror. The Russians burned reeds and fired from Grads (a multiple rocket launcher) at neighboring villages. People were left homeless. Having entered the city, they [Russian troops] began looting shops. Neither locals nor volunteers have been able to enter or leave the city ever since. We are under blockade,’ says Tetiana.
In the area where Tetiana lives, supermarkets are closed. For a small grocery, there is a queue of 300 people. Stores do not take cards. There are queues of 200 people at ATMs. Gas stations are closed. There is no gasoline. It is impossible to leave the city. It is scary to go outside. However, Tetiana and her daughter have a small supply of food.
‘It was impossible to go outside on March 1. Too many shootings. They shot at everything. There were thuds, assault rifles, and machine-gun fire — whatever. I have already begun to recognize them,’ says Tetiana in a hurry. And at the same time, some shots are heard outdoors.
The woman says the war had changed everything. Although she still does not believe it is happening to her. Tetiana does not consider herself panic-stricken, trying to stay calm for the sake of her daughter. Also, she has an old mother who was left alone in the countryside without money and food. Neighbors help her to survive.
‘It seems that life has stopped. I don’t want anything at all. Just to end it all,’ says Tetiana. ‘Our people have become completely equal: everyone helps each other, some help children, some help the elderly, some help animals.’
Tetiana has no plans for tomorrow. She says that tomorrow does not exist anymore. Every day Tetiana wakes up wondering if she is still alive. She believes that the Ukrainian military forces will defend the city.
