We had a school, many institutions. People had jobs. Now they are gone. The village of Hranitne used to be very multi-ethnic. For example, I am a Tatar. No one told me, "You are a Tatar, you are not welcomed here." We have always lived very amicably, very friendly.
Now I live here alone. The people who lived next to me moved out. The house over there was practically ruined. They just did some repairs. They redecorated their bathroom, but then everything was destroyed. People abandoned everything and left.
It was 2014. It was such a horrible year. It's even scary to remember all this. Electricity was cut off. People started leaving. Everything people had stocked for the winter was lost. There was no light so fridges did not work. We stored some canned food. We had no light for the whole year, for 297 days. Even when it was restored, it lasted for an hour, 40 minutes, or even 5 minutes.
One day, there was a bombing. We sat by candlelight. Schools didn't work. I can't remember it without a broken heart. We didn't know what time the bombing would take place, when these skirmishes would start thoroughly. There is this woman who lives next door — Raisa Kolesnikova, 84. God probably saved us.
There were three families in this basement. I had pneumonia. So I had to get an IV and run to hide. When shelling started, I went straight to the basement. No one thought about treatment at that time.
The children were scared, very scared. Even now, when they are shooting, and my granddaughters, who live on the last street, Horkoho Street, immediately crawl under the blanket. And they were hit by a shell. Everything flew out of the house: windows and doors. It is a miracle that they are alive. God had mercy on them.
It was very scary. We were able to get out of bed and find shelter somewhere. And then my grandson Kostya said, "Grandma, if it gets into the basement, how do we get out of there? Let's sit in our shed." And we stayed at home. They said that they couldn't go near the windows. We pressed against the wall and sat there.
My child is not in good health. There were times when she didn't talk at all. She lives in her own world. All this got her so frightened. Her lips begin to tremble and turn blue. Kostya was more reserved.
I am constantly worried. I suffer from tachycardia, high blood pressure. And not just me. There aren't many of us left in the village. But these are the ones who have not left Hranitne for a single day, not a single day. We still love our village. We love it very much.
Our hospital was restored. The hospital is in very good condition now. And people who work at the hospital... They didn't go anywhere. Our family doctor from Kamianka came here on foot. She did not leave us.
I have three grandchildren. Mother left all three of them at the train station in Donetsk: Vikochka was more than a year old, Kostya was three, and Nastia was seven. And every time she told me: "Grandma, I sat until the last moment waiting for my mother to return." And then police noticed them. Vikochka was taken to the Infectious Diseases Department. And the other two, Kostya and Nastya, were taken to an orphanage.
Their mother had no time to look after the children. I just don't understand how can a mother leave her children and live in peace after that? She is now married and has two more children. She told me, "I am not worried about them. I know that you will feed them, give them water, and you will not offend them."
Vika was brought here to the Children'S Department, in Telmanove. She stayed there for some time. And then the children were left like this, between heaven and earth. I took them here. I was 53 years old in 2007. They started kindergarten and school.
I dream that God will give me health, that I can help these children, that peace will be restored – this is the most important thing. The most important thing is to have peace restored. It is a pity that I am getting older. Well, you know the words from this song, "Life goes one in the village, flowers bloom and trees grow."
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