We can walk around the city only for a short time, because we have constant shooting attacks here. We survived Grad attack hits in our yard… Night, screams, it was so scary.

During the fires, people could not even open the doors and run out into the street. Those who were unlucky got killed. A mother and son were burned alive. And no one could help them, because the door was jammed and the firemen couldn't open it.

We have our own problems. We are thinking about how to help our son. Until Tolik was five, he grew up healthy and active, but he began to suffer terrible seizures a year ago. The muscles of his face begin to shake as if they were under voltage. Arms and legs are bent and so clenched that I, an adult, did not have the strength to straighten them. The son had suffered for several months, until the doctors finally managed to diagnose epilepsy.

I was afraid to sleep at night. I was afraid that I would not be able to help my son in time. We were told that this disease can result in death due to a common stroke. When the diagnosis was confirmed, Tolik was already experiencing several seizures a day. And we were told that the treatment of this disease takes a long time, that he would have to take medications for three to five years.

My son is cut off from the world because of the illness, he cannot walk independently and communicate with other children. The kindergarten teachers were mean to us. Only anti-seizure medications were a salvation, but they were nowhere to be found in Avdiivka. We went to all the neighbouring towns and cities. Even we have problems with deliveries.