Maryana Mats | Kharkiv

"I sat in the bathroom with my cat under fire and cried quietly"

Name: "I sat in the bathroom with my cat under fire and cried quietly"
Uploaded: 2024-11-06 13:59:51EET
Duration: 8 min 53 s
Description: During the full-scale invasion, Mariana lived in Kharkiv. She did not prepare for the war. She did not follow the news. She was immersed in her work. She heard that it could start. But she did not believe it.

During the full-scale invasion, Mariana lived in Kharkiv. She did not prepare for the war. She did not follow the news. She was immersed in her work. She heard that it could start. But she did not believe it.

"February 24. Morning. Explosions, but at first, I thought they were fireworks. We were in the city centre. We heard everything. We watched the news. My husband and I decided to go out of town. Towards the roundabout. We were very lucky that we were not shoot.

On December 26, 2023, my husband died in the war. Rockets started shelling the city centre. The house was shaking. I was sitting in the bathroom. With my cat. I was emotionally exhausted. I sat and cried quietly.

The hardest thing for us now was when the bombs hit Epicentre and the centre of Kharkiv. It was a shock for everyone. We are so used to tragedies, shelling and deaths of citizens. And you go on with your life," said Mariana, a resident of Kharkiv.