Slatyne, Kharkiv region, was on the front line from the first days of the full-scale war. Vania Khalin recalls the first convoys of russians marching along the streets of the village. The enemy then was destroyed by Ukrainian artillery. And the supplies and equipment from the destroyed convoy of invaders came in handy for the locals. Vanya witnessed terrible shelling and the deaths of his fellow villagers.

The village was constantly attacked by sabotage groups. One of the groups broke through to the high ground and shelled the school where the teenager was studying with mortars. The Khalin family also found themselves in the shelling area that day. Of the nearly seven thousand people only a few remained in Slatyne.

Vania told his story as part of the project "Rinat Akhmetov for Children. Peaceful rest for the children of Ukraine". The project in the format of a children's camp provides psychological rehabilitation, recreation and recovery for children affected by the war.