‘For me, the war means...’

…a complete change of perspective and centre of interests... 

When did the war in Donbass begin for you?

…For me, it started with me leaving the city. There was no particular date: my child and I left to the seaside never to come back ... It was in the late summer of 2014.

Did you happen to see the hostilities with your own eyes?

…Later, I came to visit the city, twice or at least once per year. So yes, I saw things. When crossing the contact line, I saw the checkpoints under shelling. It was during the first years – 2014, 2015 – it calmed down later. I saw the outskirts of the city under shelling.

And I saw myself … I was in the city when a school came under fire... I could go on and on...

What did you talk about with your family and neighbours during active hostilities?

... We did not discuss anything...All people there kept themselves to themselves ... It is not talked about, nothing to discuss...

What do you remember the most from the experience you went through during the war?

…There are no particular memories...It is just I have a lot of acquaintances, relatives left there... A large part of my life left there... Thank God, we still see each other. What do we talk about? Not about the war, for sure. We talk about some ordinary things, different topics. Praise God, our children do not see it in such a way, they go on with their life…

We tend to erase unpleasant events from our memory.

Thankfully, I have not had such events in my life that I would like to forget. I have been there, seen a lot, but, thank goodness, I have not seen people dying in front of me.   

Do you plan to come back home when the war is over?

We have already settled here; so, honestly, I do not know... I cannot say for sure.

I’d like to come back...I have a good house there.... But, sadly, I fear there will be no Donetsk as it used to be...

It is difficult to answer, as you see, a city or a country — this depends on people around... So, it is a different Donetsk and, painfully, different people... Just to go on, you can do it everywhere... but people around you...

How has the war changed your life?

Everything has changed: people around have changed, the city has changed... Frankly, I try not to think about it. 

Tell us please how the war affected your everyday life.

Recently, it has had its impact. I am angry with those checkpoints preventing people from getting in, leaving, dropping by... As for the rest, it has not changed a lot.

Do you feel safe now?

...Sadly, I believe no one can feel safe in our country. No, I don’t feel safe; no one needs us here. 

What do you dream about?

My only dream now is to be healthy.

What is happiness for you?

Happiness is when your close ones are alive, healthy and you can hear them, visit them without asking for anyone’s permission... I do not like it when someone creates obstacles, decides for me how, when and within which limits to keep contacts. I stand for the freedom of choice, freedom of movement...

What has become the greatest value for you over the last years?

...I cannot pick up anything particular...

Has your perception of life changed because of the war?

... Not especially. In principle, I believe that you should live each day as if it were, if not your last day, then at least without doing bad things, and think ahead, well ahead.

What did you learn while overcoming all those difficulties you told us about?

...You can come across different people, both on that side and on this side, it does not matter where... It could be good people, but it could be bad people too.  Thank God for that, I have been lucky, good people come my way. Similarities attract, so, we should be optimists.