Olha described the terrifying moments when shells fly over, forcing her and her family to seek shelter like animals.
In early March 2022, just days after the start of the invasion ordered by President Vladimir Putin, her town became a strategic point of conflict for the Russian army advancing from annexed Crimea.
Situated on the left bank of the Southern Bug River and only 1.5 km from her house, a military base, the Russian forces were just 1.5 km away.
While huddled together in fear, Olha’s paralyzed mother, disabled husband, and teenage son witnessed the brutal war firsthand, hearing explosions and hiding from the fighting.
Ukrainian forces fought back, destroying bridges, targeting Russian tanks, and taking down a helicopter, preventing the Russians from advancing towards the southern Ukrainian nuclear power station.
Despite the intense fighting, the Russians were unable to reach the Moscow-backed separatist province of Transnistria in Moldova. Voices of pride emerged as Olha recalled how the town’s residents united to fortify defenses and support each other through the relentless shelling.
Although the Russians retreated, they continued to launch attacks on Voznesensk, forcing Olha’s husband to repair their roof and windows multiple times. The family endured blackouts, food shortages, and loss as they fought to survive.
The devastating war destroyed a five-story apartment building in Voznesensk in August 2022, causing injuries to 14 people, including children. A quarter of the town’s population fled, replaced by refugees from Russia-occupied areas. The war inflicted immense suffering on the people of Voznesensk.
Olha’s family found solace in tending to their garden, naming it a “second greenhouse” built despite the uncertainty of their lives. They were determined to move forward and adapt to the new reality imposes by the war.
Olha longs for a “just peace,” a concept she fears the United States President is not ready to accept. She is disheartened by such cynical views from influential world leaders.
Vast Displacement
While Olha has managed to stay in her hometown, millions of Ukrainians have been internally displaced since the war began. Mykola, a police officer, fled his village near Mariupol after the invasion started. He refused to cooperate with the Russian forces and settled in the strategic city of Pokrovsk, which has been consistentl targeted by the Russians.
Mykola continued working as a police officer, helping elderly residents evacuate during the constant shelling. He feels no nostalgia for his former home and expressed concern about Ukraine’s future and the possibility of a Russian invasion.
A Monster State
Maria Komissarenko, a 47-year-old postal worker, experienced the horrors of the Russian aggression firsthand. She lost two homes and grieved the absence of a farewell to her father, who passed away in occupied territory.
Maria relocated from Horlivka to central Ukraine, unable to return for her father’s funeral. She witnessed the surreal atmosphere of conflict and aggression that many believed could only belong to reality television. The war scarred Maria and her family deeply, displacing them multiple times as they fled from advancing Russian forces.
An 11-Year-Old War
On the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion, memories of the early events in 2014 resurface. Maria Kucherenko, then a 19-year-old linguistics student in Sevastopol, experienced terror and self-criticism when Russian soldiers landed in Crimea. This marked the beginning of an 11-year war for Maria, who vows never to forget the atrocities committed and advocates for the liberation of all occupied territories.
She spoke at the US Congress, emphasizing that Russia’s war against Ukraine dates back to 2014, and criticized the framing of it as a “Ukrainian crisis” rather than what it truly is: Russia’s war against Ukraine. The misrepresentation hindered efforts to address the scale of the conflict.
