“I woke up to an explosion. Here I am still asleep, and then through the eyelids, I see a bright light, I hear a very loud sound — and the window explodes. I wake up and scream in horror,” says Sofia Bachyla, 23, describing one morning in Irpin. She had moved from Kyiv to her relatives in Irpin in the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion. The blast frightened her dog named Rozrada. The animal ran out of the house and got lost in the streets.
For several hours, Sofia was searching for Rozrada.
“I could hear explosions in the town but was much more afraid of losing my dog…”
Sofia walked the streets and called for her pet, and finally, she found it in one of the alleys.
“Again, I heard explosions. I took Rozrada in my arms. She was afraid and tried to escape. It was the first time I felt how strong she was,” says Sofia.
On the same day, Sofia and her relatives left Irpin. The road to safety was long and exhausting. They heard shots and explosions, so they had to take detours, which were jammed by cars. People with suitcases stood along the road holding pieces of cardboard with inscriptions: Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Rivne. But no one picked them up because all the cars were already full of people and things. Already on the road, Sofia noticed that her dog was injured.
Now Sofia lives with her brother in Rivne. With every air raid alarm, she goes down to the bomb shelter together with her dog. She says: “Rozrada trembles every time. The animal cannot overcome fear.”
In Kyiv, Sofia was a photographer, but now she is looking for any options for a part-time job. She wants to help and transfer funds to support the Ukrainian army.
“I feel very grateful, and I love the people who protect us,” says Sofia. “I want the people I know to stay alive. I was so happy when my loved ones got in touch! And yesterday I imagined hugging a guy I have just met. Right now, I want some peace. That is why I imagine a hug.”
