Emotional Stories of Ukrainian Women I'm Scared to Death That Russia Will Win

<p>A year ago, life in Ukraine came to a standstill, and the world was bombarded by the news: "Russia has invaded Ukraine " The news, which had already been speculated for several weeks before, became true in the early morning hours of February 24.

And she brought with her scenes from those worst nightmares <i>"Did I believe that there would be a war? No, I never thought that they would actually attack us,"</i> the Ukrainian<strong> Inna Biliaeva</strong>, who is with her two children, admitted to me fled to Slovenia shortly after the start of the war.

</p> <p>There is also the 29-year-old actress <strong>Kateryna Doronina</strong>, who came to Slovenia just a few weeks after Inna <i>"First it exploded once.

Then you don't even react, you don't know what's going on When it hit the second time, a shock hit that paralyzes you," </i>he recalls.

These were moments that remind you of scenes on the silver screen rather than real life <i>"When you shout at a hero in a movie: 'Why are you standing? ! Move!' But of course you can't move.

Shock has you in its grip "</i></p> <p><strong>Three days and an 'escape bag'</strong></p> <p>To both interlocutors, as well as, of course, to all other Ukrainians , life stopped at that time.

But it was just a feeling, because the events were happening very quickly, there was no time for respite Both of them were right on the front lines.

Inna in Kharkiv, Kateryna in Kiev The Russian army is penetrated from Belarus towards the Ukrainian capital, and from Russian Belgorod towards Kharkiv.

</p> <p><i>" The day before, I had a strange feeling I didn't think that the war could start, but I still packed a bag in the evening with the most necessary necessities </i>–<i> toilet, clothes," she </i>recalls.

But it hit that very night Hope that it goes only for a serious car accident that happened on the street in front of the house, it soon turned into the worst nightmare.

And this was her reality The shelter for her, her family and pets then became the basement of the house.

<i> "Of course we weren't safe there, I didn't even dare to take a shower But after several days you realize that this is also necessary," </i>she says.

</p> <p>Three days That was the time her brother gave her to decide if she wanted to stay or run away .

Although she initially wanted to stay with the rest of her family, the danger was too great She decided to leave.

She and her sister-in-law <strong>Masha</strong> put the most necessary necessities and three dogs into the car and set off to the west of Ukraine, to the city of Ternopil Another shock followed on the way.

Her brother informed them that he was going to join the Ukrainian army <i> "He has no military experience.

He is a 33-year-old film producer But he felt that he had to help the country," Kateryna said.

</p > <p>At the same time, their brother presented them with another decision - within three days they had to choose the country to which they would flee Kateryna's parents decided not to leave Ukraine.

<i>"A part of their heart would always stay with their son in Ukraine That's why they stayed,"</i> the interlocutor told us.

But her mother remembered her cousin in Slovenia, who immediately came to help when called The final destination was sealed.

</p> <p>The story of Inna, who waited out the war with her family on another front, in Kharkov, is similar In those days before the start of the war, he tells us, they received a lot of conflicting information.

They knew that the Russian forces were approaching, but the Ukrainian authorities told them that everything was under control, that they did not have to worry about anything The only advice they were given was to prepare an "escape bag" just in case.

</p> <p><i>"The first two weeks we were still at home, we couldn't believe that we could the war lasts so long Every day we expected the news that the war was over.

But it wasn't,"</i> recalls Inna, who says that those first days were completely cut off from the world Internet connections were interrupted, therefore the information did not reach them.

<i> "We didn't know what was happening We were sitting in the apartment, we could hear the overflights of military planes, we also heard explosions, bombing.

However, we did not know what plans our government had, what communicates what is happening We were isolated.

"</i></p> <p><i> </i></p> <p>Although they did not intend to leave their home at first, they had no choice but to flee : <i>"We had to leave The decision was impulsive at first </i>–<i> we had to get the children to safety.

" </i>Their life in Kharkiv was in danger, but she and her husband also wanted to provide them with medical care and schooling First, they went to the heart of Ukraine, and then Inna went with her two children to her sister in Slovenia last March.

" Here we had someone we could come to,"</i> she explained </p> <p><strong>A war that took away people's future.

'I'm not planning anymore, everything can change tomorrow'< /strong></p> <p><i>"We thought we'd be back in two weeks But that didn't happen.

Then we hoped to be able to return home in the spring, but that didn't happen either Today we are still here,"</i> says Inna, who is grateful to Slovenia for the help.

<i>"It was not your duty to help, but you did And that's why we are immensely grateful to you,"</i> she said.

She felt this in different ways: Slovenia provides them with accommodation, medical care, financial assistance, and educational institutions for their children The youngest attends kindergarten, and the older son is in the eighth grade of primary school.

</p> <p> <i>"I enrolled my son in school very quickly.

He was sad, he didn't do anything at home " </i>She was worried because she didn't know if it was even possible to enroll in the school.

<i>"Nobody knew what to do with us, I was afraid they would reject me But that didn't happen,"</i> she said.

The counselor at the school prepared all the documentation and helped Inna fill it out The school, however, did not only help them with bureaucratic matters: <i>"They did their best to ensure that their son was accepted at the school, so that he could more easily integrate into the new environment.

"</i> She was impressed by the professionalism of the employees , as well as in kindergarten.

</p> <p>After the start of the war, her sister welcomed two other Ukrainian families into the house next to them <i> " Then my sister and her family moved out and left the house to us and two other families.

We can pay it together,"</i> she said </p> <p>Kateryna and Maša also turned to their cousin, who renovated the attic for them.

Before that, it was just junk, but then the attic was cleaned , painted over her and provided the most basic things.

<i> "It wasn't much, but it was enough Then the neighbors also came to our aid.

They offered us everything they could donate Now we have a sofa, we have a kitchen, everything we could need,"</i> she said.

That's why Slovenians have a very special place in her heart, she emphasized </p> <p>Slovenia made it possible for them to continue their lives here.

But the 29-year-old does not know what awaits her in the future: "I don't know, will I return after the end of the war or will I stay.

I don't plan for the future anymore The war proved that everything can change tomorrow.

"</i> Before the Russian attack, she was an actress She acted both in films and in theaters<i>.

"Of course I can't do that in Slovenia Although I study Slovenian intensively, I'm currently at the A2 level, but I'm still far from being able to work as an actor here as well,"</i> she said.

</p> <p>But that doesn't mean that she is without a job She is grateful for all the help, including financial help:<i> "However, surely someone needs it more than me.

But I have two arms and two legs, I can earn money on my own "</i> With the help of the Employment Agency and the Slovenian Philanthropy, she opened a company through which she now works at Glov<i>.

</i> In fact, Slovenia made an exception for refugees from Ukraine, they could open a sp, even if they had not lived in Slovenia for a year <i> "The first sentences I could say in perfect Slovenian were: 'Hello, this is Kateryna from Glov .

I'll be with you in a minute,'"</i> she recited </p> <p><strong>'We must end the war with a period, not a comma'</strong></p> <p>But even though they managed to escape, a part of them remained in Ukraine forever.

They keep in constant contact with their loved ones, whom they left behind The thought of currently being in the middle of a whirlwind of war brought tears to both of their eyes.

Kateryna briefly returned to Ukraine in September to see her family Then she had to say goodbye again.

<i>"We must win this war The Russians oppressed us all our lives.

If we don't defeat them, they will only demand more and more Their next target could be some other country," </i>she warned.

Her thoughts are still with the family </p> <p>She does not understand why anyone would attack another country, but it is clear that Ukraine he must not lose this war.

<i>"We have a heart, we have respect for others We must end the war with a period, not a comma," </i>she emphasized.

She hopes the war will end as soon as possible She prays that they will be strong enough to do so.

<i>"The only wish I have right now is, for my family to survive There is nothing else more important than that,"</i> she added.

</p> <p>Last year, Inna also returned to Ukraine for a short time with her two children, where she saw her husband and the child's father again after months And saying goodbye was hard for them too.

The memory of this moment brings tears to Inna's eyes as well <i>"The most difficult moment then was returning to Slovenia.

The children were crying, they did not want to leave their father behind," she admitted Her son is now constantly asking her when they will return<i>.

"I don't know what to say to him I don't know when we will be able to go home, when he will be able to see his father again.

If of course he will ever see him again That is what I am most afraid of,"</i> she told me between tears .

Her husband is currently in Kharkiv, where he also works, so he is in constant danger </p> <p>She is in daily contact with him, receiving information directly from him.

He also has an application loaded on his mobile phone, which informs residents about an air raid Her father is also still in Ukraine, who, as she confided in me, served in the joint Russian army during the previous arrangement.

He is now retired, but he is completely contrite about the war <i>"Although we had to leave our apartment in Kharkiv, at least we know that our home is still standing.

His apartment was only a few blocks away from us, but it was completely destroyed in the bombing It really affected him, his whole life he worked for their government, but now that he's retired, he has nothing left.

He's even left without a home,"</i> she described the sadness of her father, who now feels betrayed </p> <p>But even though Inna is safe, of course it's not easy for her either.

<i>"At the moment I am combining two functions - father and mother It is really difficult, especially since my son is in his teens,"</i> she said.

He feels as if he is sitting on two chairs: <i>"Partly I am here with the children, partly in Ukraine with her husband It feels like I'm floating, I can't lean on anything, I can't predict or plan anything.

"</i> She is currently working as a volunteer in Slovenia Because Slovenia has given her so much, she now has a desire to repay this kindness.

<i> "That's why I joined volunteers and Slovenian Philanthropy I also help the Ukrainians psychologically,"</i> she said.

She is also studying psychology herself </p> <p><strong>Greatest fear? Russia's victory and Ukraine's defeat</strong></p> < p>The wishes and hopes of both interlocutors revolve around their homeland and families.

Will I be here for an extra year? Will I find a job? These are the questions that Inna asks herself every day She hopes that the war will end soon and that she can returned home.

But the war changed them They have relatives in Russia, with whom they remained in contact in the first weeks after the attack.

<i>"When we told them that Russia is attacking us, that they are bombing us, that we are hiding in the basement and that we are afraid, they told us to wait, because Russia will save us soon I was stunned by their words .

We don't need to be saved We want to be left alone,"</i> she is clear.

</p> <p>Even though she was shocked, she thinks this is their defense mechanism: <i>"Nothing they cannot do, so they cover their eyes from the truth, they convince themselves that it is a lie " </i> He is aware that this is about some political conflicts, <i>"that Russia wants to re-establish the Soviet Union, and Ukraine wants to join the European Union".

</i>However, at the same time, I believe that as a country they have the right to pursue their goals, even if Russia does not agree with them </p> <p>Kateryna shares similar feelings.

<i>"The Russians claim they are our big brothers But they are not.

They are not even part of our family,"</i> she is clear She is convinced that the only thing Ukraine wants from Russia is to leave them alone.

<i>"We don't need help Just leave and let us live.

"</i></p> <p>Both are clear that Ukraine must win this war <i>"One of our biggest fears is that we might lose this war.

I'm scared to death that Russia would win In that case, we'll have to leave our homes and lives in Ukraine for good, or face the Russians there .

This is the worst possible scenario that no one wants," </i>Inna said </p> <p>He doesn't know, what would happen if Russia wins, she is scared to death of this scenario.

If Ukraine wins, however, the plan is clear – they will return and rebuild their lives <i>"We will start again, but the goal is clear.

I plan to return and I really hope that I can invite Slovenians to a peaceful Ukraine You are always welcome here,"</i> she added.

</p >.