I work as the director of a cultural center. We had a very productive 2021. It was such an active year, the work was boiling and we were preparing that 2022 would be the same. They planned an autumn fest, many different events, but not everything happened. I really wanted to go to the sea, there were many plans for the summer.

My husband and son-in-law and I were in the yard at that time. A fire started not far from us. The husband and son-in-law rushed to stew, ran to help. And I wanted to close the chickens, my daughter was at home. It started to mature. I fell near the chickens, and it saved my life. The yard was shelled with cluster shells. Everything that was in the yard became in the holes. I fell, these bombs fell around me ‒ blew up the ground, the ground hit me. 14 chickens killed near me. Everything quieted down for a while. The daughter ran, helped her get up and reach the basement. I couldn't go at all. She was pulling me

I go outside and see that the cars are from Kyiv, the track is full, everyone is going to Chernihiv. That's how it started. And then my husband called me and said that yes and yes, I need to refuel the car, collect things, go somewhere further from the center of the village. I stood in line at the gas station for three hours, but still refueled. Everyone goes with canisters, everyone is scared. No one knows what they are doing.

One child was 14 years old at that time, the other 10, the youngest 2 years old. The smallest did not yet understand what was happening. At first, we said that when self-propelled guns flew, when bombs were dropped, that it was thunder. The elders were afraid, it was scary. But somehow, probably, they did not understand what it was.

Dad was not with us then. He was in Chernobyl just as the Russians entered. I didn't know where he was for two days at all. I thought I was already in captivity, but everything worked out. They moved to other positions. My younger sister was still with me at that time. She came to visit.

The man called and said on the third day: "I sent a person to you, you sit down, take the children and you are taken abroad". And I said: "I will lock myself in seven locks, no one will find me. No one will go anywhere".

Probably the biggest fear then was – is misunderstanding. So you don't understand what swirled where it flew, whether ours, or not ours, or arrival, or departure. You don't understand, and with every sound you just run to the cellar. Then, like everyone in principle, we went to bed alone. We lie down, wait. The plane flies ‒ we have already blown up, we are running to the cellar.

Our cellar is cold. Especially since there are full sides of potatoes, twists, all the things. So for the first two days we sat in the cellar, even spent the night. Then we have a neighbor, I am very grateful to him, he made such a bourgeoisie in his cellar, tapchans, where you could sleep. And we, these are two families, lived in this cellar. It was warm, there was a lot of space, it was convenient.

You know, probably from the first day there was nothing in the stores anymore. Nothing. The only thing left is ‒ refueling. If I'm not mistaken, the stores did not work for two or three days. Then somehow they started to open little by little for a couple of hours, bread was imported.

I won't say that we are so tight with products. Once there were cereals, everything was in reserve. It was difficult with hygiene products and medicines. But, in principle, then the humanitarian began to be picked up, something could be found somewhere. But yes...

As soon as the war started, I was still a volunteer in the SUVIATO organization at that time. And the head of this organization created a food station in Kipty for the military, for people in need. We all delivered food and food there. Who cooked on the spot, who cooked according to his ovens, according to his homes. And this food was taken to the position. We drove, then people got fit.

Everyone joined this very actively, the village took part. They carried everything that anyone has. They prepared in turn: some lunch, some breakfast, some dinner. It was all fixed. We just did what we could do. 

Now we somehow have no conversations about it. In general. It was as if she had been erased from life, as if nothing had happened. That's why he didn't have this phase and that's it. We lived, we continue to live.

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