For Olena, the horrors of war that she had to endure in the blockaded Mariupol were unbearable. "It was not a horror film, it was a deliberate destruction of the population of Mariupol," she said. She still can't forget the dead people lying in the streets and the ruined buildings burning under the impact of Russian air strikes.

Olena also saw people with children leaving the city on foot, pulling carts with their belongings. Hungry dogs, abandoned by their owners, began to appear on the streets, gathering in packs and attacking people. Olena survived the blockade thanks to the help of her husband, son-in-law and son, who searched for and brought food, water and medicine.