{"id":3204,"date":"2022-05-05T12:37:18","date_gmt":"2022-05-05T10:37:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/?p=3204"},"modified":"2025-11-13T09:09:35","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T08:09:35","slug":"war-in-ukraine-the-story-of-a-young-woman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/war-in-ukraine-the-story-of-a-young-woman\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;Missiles were flying right over my head&#8221; &#8211; a young woman&#8217;s story of living in the war in Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"boxed\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized is-style-rounded wp-duotone-000000-ffffff-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/GRB2448_olena_thumbnail-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Olena Prokopchuk \/ \u00a9 Andrii Gorb\" class=\"wp-image-3197\" style=\"width:90px;height:90px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/GRB2448_olena_thumbnail-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/GRB2448_olena_thumbnail-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/GRB2448_olena_thumbnail.jpg 498w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p><strong><em>Olena Prokopchuk<\/em><\/strong><em> was in Kyiv when the Russian invasion of Ukraine started. She is now based in Lviv and works for a Ukrainian human rights organisation called \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/r2p.org.ua\/?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Right to Protection<\/a>\u201d. Her dad, sister and brother are still in Kyiv. With her once peaceful life now being torn apart by war, Olena writes about her hopes for peace and the reality of living a life she didn\u2019t choose &#8211; like all people affected by the war in Ukraine.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&#8212; UPDATE &#8212;<\/h5>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>Since her last blog was published, Olena&#8217;s friend and colleague, and environmental activist, Semen was killed defending Severodonetsk, a town in Eastern Ukraine, just 12 days after his wedding. His death is a reminder of the tragic and senseless loss of life due to the Russian aggression in Ukraine.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/photo_2022-09-27_11-48-28-2-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of Semen Oblomei \/ \u00a9 Anna Oblomei\" class=\"wp-image-5233\" style=\"width:768px;height:576px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/photo_2022-09-27_11-48-28-2-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/photo_2022-09-27_11-48-28-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/photo_2022-09-27_11-48-28-2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/photo_2022-09-27_11-48-28-2.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Photo of Semen Oblomei \/ \u00a9 Anna Oblomei<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Olena would like to publish the following testimonial to Semen:<\/h5>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>\u201cTwelve days after his wedding, environmental activist turned soldier, <strong>Semen<\/strong>, was killed while defending Severodonetsk in the East of Ukraine.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>Semen dreamt of&nbsp; becoming an arborist. At 22, he was already an environmental activist, a deputy military commander, a best friend, a comrade, a son, a brother and a husband.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>I knew Semen as a colleague. He joined our small team in the environmental foundation,<a href=\"https:\/\/pelicanlive.com\/en\/home-2\/\"> <em>Peli can live<\/em><\/a>, in the winter of 2021. After our first Zoom meeting, my colleague and I shared our impressions of him. Slightly naive. Very responsible. Open and honest. To put it diplomatically: he spoke frankly. His honesty and direct manner were well intentioned. Neither management nor his colleagues were ever offended by it.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>We met in person only two or three times. During the pandemic, we worked remotely. I was living outside Kyiv, in the Zhytomyr region. Our meetings were wonderful, inspiring and joyful. We met to discuss the organization&#8217;s development strategy and priorities.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:22px\">\u201cWe talked, argued and laughed a lot. More than anything, I would like to live this day again.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>Then, in June 2022, Semen was killed while defending Severodonetsk, a town in Eastern Ukraine.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>Leadership, dignity, selflessness, light, support to others, love for people and nature was all about you, Semen.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>Just before his death, Semen gave an interview to the Ukrainian military journalist Yuriy Butusov, and also shared his sleeping bag with him. It was a usual thing for him \u2013 to share with others everything he had, to give his food or warm clothes, convincing everyone that he needed it the least.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>Semen died defending Severodonetsk at the age of 22. His body was brought to Kyiv, and his ashes were scattered by his relatives in Trakhtemirivskyi island.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>It&#8217;s hard to let you go, Semen. You and thousands of others who, like you, while being so young, so brave, active, honest and open, took up arms. You, Roman Ratushny, Artem Dymyd and many others \u2013 you are forever in our hearts. In your young age, you have achieved so much! Semen, wherever you are now, may you be surrounded by the Zaporozhzhia steppes, the slopes of the Dnipro and the Carpathian mountains. Ukraine is standing, Ukraine is fighting.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>To read more about Semen in the words of his friends, colleagues and family, please <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Testimonies-Semen-Oblomei.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&#8212; \u041e\u043d\u043e\u0432\u043b\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044f &#8212;<\/h5>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>\u0417 \u0447\u0430\u0441\u0443 \u043f\u0443\u0431\u043b\u0456\u043a\u0430\u0446\u0456\u0457 \u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043d\u043d\u044c\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0431\u043b\u043e\u0433\u0443 <strong>\u041e\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0438<\/strong>, \u0457\u0457 \u0434\u0440\u0443\u0433 \u0456 \u043a\u043e\u043b\u0435\u0433\u0430, \u0435\u043a\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0433\u0456\u0447\u043d\u0438\u0439 \u0430\u043a\u0442\u0438\u0432\u0456\u0441\u0442 \u0421\u0435\u043c\u0435\u043d \u0437\u0430\u0433\u0438\u043d\u0443\u0432, \u0437\u0430\u0445\u0438\u0449\u0430\u044e\u0447\u0438 \u0421\u0454\u0432\u0454\u0440\u043e\u0434\u043e\u043d\u0435\u0446\u044c\u043a, \u043c\u0456\u0441\u0442\u043e \u043d\u0430 \u0441\u0445\u043e\u0434\u0456 \u0423\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0438, \u0432\u0441\u044c\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0447\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0437 12 \u0434\u043d\u0456\u0432 \u043f\u0456\u0441\u043b\u044f \u0441\u0432\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0432\u0435\u0441\u0456\u043b\u043b\u044f. \u0419\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0441\u043c\u0435\u0440\u0442\u044c \u0454 \u043d\u0430\u0433\u0430\u0434\u0443\u0432\u0430\u043d\u043d\u044f\u043c \u043f\u0440\u043e \u0442\u0440\u0430\u0433\u0456\u0447\u043d\u0443 \u0456 \u0431\u0435\u0437\u0433\u043b\u0443\u0437\u0434\u0443 \u0432\u0442\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0443 \u0436\u0438\u0442\u0442\u044f \u0432\u043d\u0430\u0441\u043b\u0456\u0434\u043e\u043a \u0440\u043e\u0441\u0456\u0439\u0441\u044c\u043a\u043e\u0457 \u0430\u0433\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0456\u0457 \u0432 \u0423\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0456.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>\u0421\u0435\u043c\u0435\u043d \u043c\u0456\u0433 \u0441\u0442\u0430\u0442\u0438 \u0430\u0440\u0431\u043e\u0440\u0438\u0441\u0442\u043e\u043c \u2013 \u043c\u0440\u0456\u044f\u0432 \u043f\u0440\u043e \u0446\u0435. \u0423 \u0441\u0432\u043e\u0457 22 \u0440\u043e\u043a\u0438 \u0432\u0456\u043d \u0443\u0436\u0435 \u0431\u0443\u0432 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0440\u043e\u0434\u043e\u043e\u0445\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0446\u0435\u043c, \u0437\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0443\u043f\u043d\u0438\u043a\u043e\u043c \u043a\u043e\u043c\u0430\u043d\u0434\u0438\u0440\u0430 \u0440\u043e\u0442\u0438 (\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0432 \u043d\u0438\u043c \u043b\u0438\u0448\u0435 \u0437\u0430 \u043a\u0456\u043b\u044c\u043a\u0430 \u043c\u0456\u0441\u044f\u0446\u0456\u0432), \u0430 \u0449\u0435 \u2013 \u043d\u0430\u0439\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0449\u0438\u043c \u0434\u0440\u0443\u0433\u043e\u043c, \u0431\u043e\u0439\u043e\u0432\u0438\u043c \u0442\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0440\u0438\u0448\u0435\u043c, \u0441\u0438\u043d\u043e\u043c, \u0431\u0440\u0430\u0442\u043e\u043c \u0456 \u0447\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0456\u043a\u043e\u043c.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>\u042f \u0437\u043d\u0430\u043b\u0430 \u0421\u0435\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0430 \u044f\u043a \u043a\u043e\u043b\u0435\u0433\u0443:&nbsp; \u0432\u0456\u043d \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0454\u0434\u043d\u0430\u0432\u0441\u044f \u0434\u043e \u043d\u0430\u0448\u043e\u0457&nbsp; \u043c\u0430\u043b\u0435\u043d\u044c\u043a\u043e\u0457 \u043a\u043e\u043c\u0430\u043d\u0434\u0438 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0440\u043e\u0434\u043e\u043e\u0445\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0444\u043e\u043d\u0434\u0443 \u00abPeli can live\u00bb \u0432\u0437\u0438\u043c\u043a\u0443 2021 \u0440\u043e\u043a\u0443. \u041f\u0456\u0441\u043b\u044f \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0448\u043e\u0457 \u0436 \u0441\u043f\u0456\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u0457 Zoom-\u0437\u0443\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0456\u0447\u0456 \u043c\u0438 \u0437 \u043a\u043e\u043b\u0435\u0433\u043e\u044e \u043e\u0431\u043c\u0456\u043d\u044f\u043b\u0438\u0441\u044f \u0432\u0440\u0430\u0436\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044f\u043c\u0438 \u0439 \u0437\u0456\u0439\u0448\u043b\u0438\u0441\u044c \u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0443\u043c\u0446\u0456, \u0449\u043e \u0445\u043b\u043e\u043f\u0435\u0446\u044c \u043e\u043a. \u0417\u043b\u0435\u0433\u043a\u0430 \u043d\u0430\u0457\u0432\u043d\u0438\u0439, \u0434\u0443\u0436\u0435 \u0432\u0456\u0434\u043f\u043e\u0432\u0456\u0434\u0430\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0438\u0439, \u0432\u0456\u0434\u043a\u0440\u0438\u0442\u0438\u0439 \u0456 \u0447\u0435\u0441\u043d\u0438\u0439:&nbsp; \u0442\u0435, \u0449\u043e \u044f \u043d\u0430\u043c\u0430\u0433\u0430\u043b\u0430\u0441\u044f \u0437\u0430\u0433\u043e\u0440\u043d\u0443\u0442\u0438 \u0432 \u0434\u0438\u043f\u043b\u043e\u043c\u0430\u0442\u0438\u0447\u043d\u0443 \u0444\u043e\u0440\u043c\u0443, \u0432\u0456\u043d \u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0438\u0432 \u0432\u0456\u0434\u0432\u0435\u0440\u0442\u043e. \u041e\u0441\u044c \u0446\u044f \u0439\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0447\u0435\u0441\u043d\u0456\u0441\u0442\u044c \u0456 \u043f\u0440\u044f\u043c\u043e\u0442\u0430 \u043f\u0456\u0434\u043a\u0443\u043f\u0430\u043b\u0438: \u043d\u0456\u0445\u0442\u043e \u2013 \u043d\u0456 \u043a\u0435\u0440\u0456\u0432\u043d\u0438\u0446\u0442\u0432\u043e, \u043d\u0456 \u043a\u043e\u043b\u0435\u0433\u0438 \u2013 \u043d\u0430 \u0446\u0435 \u043d\u0456\u043a\u043e\u043b\u0438 \u043d\u0435 \u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0436\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0441\u044f.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>\u041c\u0438 \u0437\u0443\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0456\u0447\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0441\u044f \u043d\u0430\u0436\u0438\u0432\u043e \u043b\u0438\u0448\u0435 \u0434\u0432\u0456\u0447\u0456 \u0447\u0438 \u0442\u0440\u0438\u0447\u0456. \u041f\u0456\u0434 \u0447\u0430\u0441 \u043f\u0430\u043d\u0434\u0435\u043c\u0456\u0457&nbsp; \u043c\u0438 \u043f\u0440\u0430\u0446\u044e\u0432\u0430\u043b\u0438 \u0434\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043d\u0446\u0456\u0439\u043d\u043e, \u0434\u043e \u0442\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0436 \u044f \u0436\u0438\u043b\u0430 \u0437\u0430 \u041a\u0438\u0454\u0432\u043e\u043c, \u0443 \u0416\u0438\u0442\u043e\u043c\u0438\u0440\u0441\u044c\u043a\u0456\u0439 \u043e\u0431\u043b\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0456. \u041f\u0440\u043e\u0442\u0435 \u0446\u0435 \u0431\u0443\u043b\u0438 \u0447\u0443\u0434\u043e\u0432\u0456, \u043d\u0430\u0442\u0445\u043d\u0435\u043d\u043d\u0456 \u0439 \u0432\u0435\u0441\u0435\u043b\u0456 \u0437\u0443\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0456\u0447\u0456. \u041c\u0438 \u0437\u0443\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0456\u043b\u0438\u0441\u044f, \u0449\u043e\u0431 \u043e\u0431\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0438\u0442\u0438 \u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0435\u0433\u0456\u044e \u0440\u043e\u0437\u0432\u0438\u0442\u043a\u0443 \u043e\u0440\u0433\u0430\u043d\u0456\u0437\u0430\u0446\u0456\u0457 \u0442\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u0456\u043e\u0440\u0438\u0442\u0435\u0442\u0438 \u043d\u0430\u0448\u043e\u0457 \u0440\u043e\u0431\u043e\u0442\u0438. \u041c\u0438 \u0431\u0430\u0433\u0430\u0442\u043e \u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0438\u043b\u0438, \u0441\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0447\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0441\u044f \u0456 \u0441\u043c\u0456\u044f\u043b\u0438\u0441\u044f. \u0411\u0456\u043b\u044c\u0448 \u0437\u0430 \u0432\u0441\u0435 \u044f \u0445\u043e\u0442\u0456\u043b\u0430 \u0431 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0436\u0438\u0442\u0438 \u0446\u0435\u0439 \u0434\u0435\u043d\u044c \u0437\u043d\u043e\u0432\u0443.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>\u0423 \u0447\u0435\u0440\u0432\u043d\u0456 2022 \u0440\u043e\u043a\u0443 \u0421\u0435\u043c\u0435\u043d \u0437\u0430\u0433\u0438\u043d\u0443\u0432, \u0437\u0430\u0445\u0438\u0449\u0430\u044e\u0447\u0438 \u0421\u0454\u0432\u0454\u0440\u043e\u0434\u043e\u043d\u0435\u0446\u044c\u043a, \u043c\u0456\u0441\u0442\u043e \u043d\u0430 \u0441\u0445\u043e\u0434\u0456 \u0423\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0438.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>\u041b\u0456\u0434\u0435\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e, \u0431\u043b\u0430\u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0434\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e, \u0431\u0435\u0437\u043a\u043e\u0440\u0438\u0441\u043b\u0438\u0432\u0456\u0441\u0442\u044c, \u043f\u0456\u0434\u0442\u0440\u0438\u043c\u043a\u0430 \u0456\u043d\u0448\u0438\u0445, \u0441\u0432\u0456\u0442\u043b\u043e, \u043b\u044e\u0431\u043e\u0432 \u0434\u043e \u043b\u044e\u0434\u0435\u0439 \u0442\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0440\u043e\u0434\u0438 \u2013 \u0446\u0435 \u0432\u0441\u0435 \u043f\u0440\u043e \u0442\u0435\u0431\u0435, \u0421\u0435\u043c\u0435\u043d.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>\u041d\u0430\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043e\u0434\u043d\u0456 \u0437\u0430\u0433\u0438\u0431\u0435\u043b\u0456 \u0421\u0435\u043c\u0435\u043d \u0434\u0430\u0432 \u0456\u043d\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0432\u2019\u044e \u0443\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0441\u044c\u043a\u043e\u043c\u0443 \u0432\u0456\u0439\u0441\u044c\u043a\u043e\u0432\u043e\u043c\u0443 \u0436\u0443\u0440\u043d\u0430\u043b\u0456\u0441\u0442\u0443 \u042e\u0440\u0456\u044e \u0411\u0443\u0442\u0443\u0441\u043e\u0432\u0443, \u0430 \u0449\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0456\u043b\u0438\u0432\u0441\u044f \u0437 \u043d\u0438\u043c \u0441\u0432\u043e\u0457\u043c \u0441\u043f\u0430\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0438\u043a\u043e\u043c. \u0414\u043b\u044f \u043d\u044c\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0446\u0435 \u0431\u0443\u043b\u043e \u044f\u043a \u0437\u0430\u0437\u0432\u0438\u0447\u0430\u0439 \u2013 \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0456\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0438\u0441\u044f \u0437 \u0431\u043b\u0438\u0436\u043d\u0456\u043c \u0442\u0438\u043c, \u0449\u043e \u043c\u0430\u0432, \u0432\u0456\u0434\u0434\u0430\u0442\u0438 \u0441\u0432\u043e\u044e \u0457\u0436\u0443 \u0447\u0438 \u0442\u0435\u043f\u043b\u0438\u0439 \u043e\u0434\u044f\u0433, \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043a\u043e\u043d\u0430\u0432\u0448\u0438 \u0432\u0441\u0456\u0445, \u0449\u043e \u0439\u043e\u043c\u0443 \u0446\u0435 \u0442\u0440\u0435\u0431\u0430 \u043d\u0430\u0439\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0448\u0435.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>\u2026\u0421\u0435\u043c\u0435\u043d \u0437\u0430\u0433\u0438\u043d\u0443\u0432 \u043f\u0440\u0438 \u0437\u0430\u0445\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0456 \u0421\u0454\u0432\u0454\u0440\u043e\u0434\u043e\u043d\u0435\u0446\u044c\u043a\u0430 \u0443 \u0432\u0456\u0446\u0456 22 \u0440\u043e\u043a\u0456\u0432, \u0439\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0442\u0456\u043b\u043e \u0432\u0434\u0430\u043b\u043e\u0441\u044f \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0432\u0435\u0437\u0442\u0438 \u0434\u043e \u041a\u0438\u0454\u0432\u0430, \u0439\u043e\u0433\u043e \u043f\u0440\u0430\u0445 \u0440\u0456\u0434\u043d\u0456 \u0440\u043e\u0437\u0432\u0456\u044f\u043b\u0438 \u043d\u0430\u0434 \u0422\u0440\u0430\u0445\u0442\u0435\u043c\u0438\u0440\u0456\u0432\u0441\u044c\u043a\u0438\u043c \u043f\u0456\u0432\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0432\u043e\u043c. \u0411\u0443\u043a\u0432\u0430\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e \u0437\u0430 12 \u0434\u043d\u0456\u0432 \u0434\u043e \u0437\u0430\u0433\u0438\u0431\u0435\u043b\u0456 \u0421\u0435\u043c\u0435\u043d \u043e\u0434\u0440\u0443\u0436\u0438\u0432\u0441\u044f.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>\u0412\u0430\u0436\u043a\u043e \u0422\u0435\u0431\u0435 \u0432\u0456\u0434\u043f\u0443\u0441\u043a\u0430\u0442\u0438, \u0421\u0435\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0435. \u0422\u0438 \u0456 \u0442\u0438\u0441\u044f\u0447\u0456 \u0442\u0430\u043a\u0438\u0445, \u044f\u043a \u0422\u0438, \u044f\u043a\u0456, \u0449\u0435 \u0431\u0443\u0434\u0443\u0447\u0438 \u0442\u0430\u043a\u0438\u043c\u0438 \u043c\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0434\u0438\u043c\u0438, \u0442\u0430\u043a\u0438\u043c\u0438 \u0441\u043c\u0456\u043b\u0438\u0432\u0438\u043c\u0438, \u0430\u043a\u0442\u0438\u0432\u043d\u0438\u043c\u0438, \u0447\u0435\u0441\u043d\u0438\u043c\u0438 \u0456 \u0432\u0456\u0434\u043a\u0440\u0438\u0442\u0438\u043c\u0438, \u0432\u0437\u044f\u043b\u0438 \u0434\u043e \u0440\u0443\u043a \u0437\u0431\u0440\u043e\u044e. \u0422\u0438, \u0420\u043e\u043c\u0430\u043d \u0420\u0430\u0442\u0443\u0448\u043d\u0438\u0439, \u0410\u0440\u0442\u0435\u043c \u0414\u0438\u043c\u0438\u0434 \u0456 \u0431\u0430\u0433\u0430\u0442\u043e \u0456\u043d\u0448\u0438\u0445 \u2013 \u0432\u0438 \u043d\u0430\u0437\u0430\u0432\u0436\u0434\u0438 \u0443 \u043d\u0430\u0448\u0438\u0445 \u0441\u0435\u0440\u0446\u044f\u0445. \u0417\u0430 \u0432\u0430\u0448 \u044e\u043d\u0438\u0439 \u0432\u0456\u043a \u0432\u0438 \u0437\u043c\u043e\u0433\u043b\u0438 \u0442\u0430\u043a \u043d\u0435\u043f\u043e\u043c\u0456\u0440\u043d\u043e \u0431\u0430\u0433\u0430\u0442\u043e!.. \u0421\u0435\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0435, \u0445\u0430\u0439 \u0442\u0430\u043c, \u0434\u0435 \u0422\u0438 \u0454 \u0437\u0430\u0440\u0430\u0437, \u0422\u0435\u0431\u0435 \u043e\u0442\u043e\u0447\u0443\u044e\u0442\u044c \u0437\u0430\u043f\u043e\u0440\u0456\u0437\u044c\u043a\u0456 \u0441\u0442\u0435\u043f\u0438, \u0441\u0445\u0438\u043b\u0438 \u0414\u043d\u0456\u043f\u0440\u0430 \u0456 \u043a\u0430\u0440\u043f\u0430\u0442\u0441\u044c\u043a\u0456 \u0433\u043e\u0440\u0438. \u0423\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0430 \u0441\u0442\u043e\u0457\u0442\u044c, \u0423\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0430 \u0431\u043e\u0440\u0435\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>\u0411\u0456\u043b\u044c\u0448\u0435 \u043f\u0440\u043e \u0421\u0435\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0430 \u0437\u0456 \u0441\u043b\u0456\u0432 \u0439\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0434\u0440\u0443\u0437\u0456\u0432, \u043a\u043e\u043b\u0435\u0433 \u0442\u0430 \u0440\u0456\u0434\u043d\u0438\u0445 \u043c\u043e\u0436\u043d\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0447\u0438\u0442\u0430\u0442\u0438 \u0437\u0430 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Testimonies-Semen-Oblomei.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u043f\u043e\u0441\u0438\u043b\u0430\u043d\u043d\u044f\u043c<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5 May 2022<\/h5>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>I never intended to be a hero. At 32, I was thinking about other things. Being unhappy with office work. My next career move. Whether I\u2019d ever be able to buy my own place. Wanting to get married and start a family. I never wanted to fear for my life, or count the number of explosions, or ask my friends if they were safe and sound, or read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu\/where-are-the-ukrainian-women\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the news about the women<\/a> raped just a few miles from my apartment. Least of all, did I want to be a hero.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>Today in Ukraine, each of us is a hero. We get up in the morning and read the news. We message dozens of people during the day, just to make sure they&#8217;re alive. We work and volunteer. Each of us is a link among many others, ensuring that Ukraine stands strong against Russia.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>I did not believe it would last this long. First, that we would be able to defend ourselves so strongly. And second, that it would take so much time. We want to go back to peace as soon as possible.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>All I wanted to do in the first hours of Russian aggression was run and hide &#8211; and make sure I was no longer threatened. Back in January, my friends and I had decided that if the war started, we would leave the city together. Our plan was to go to Vorzel, a small town just next to Bucha, Irpin and Hostomel &#8211; the places where the Russian military have shown an inhuman level of cruelty and violence.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:22px\">&#8220;<em>All I wanted to do in the first hours of Russian aggression was run and hide. I was lucky to spend the first days of the war with someone who said it would be safer in a big city. She saved me from making any hasty mistakes.<\/em>&#8220;<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>Instead, I stayed in Kyiv. I was lucky to spend the first days of the war with someone who knew where to find information about the safest place during the shelling. She balanced me emotionally and helped me get through the first shock of the war. She said it would be safer in a big city &#8211; and that saved me from making any hasty mistakes.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>I spent the first twenty days of this new phase of the war in Kyiv. After that, I couldn\u2019t take it any longer. It became clear from the damage that the missiles were flying right over my head \u2014 and it was only a matter of time or chance before they would hit my house. So we fled to Lviv. We spent four days travelling &#8211; me, my colleague and our three cats.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\" style=\"font-size:22px\">&#8220;<em>It became clear from the damage that the missiles were flying right over my head \u2014 and it was only a matter of time or chance before they would hit my house.<\/em>&#8220;<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/51986625275_0c7de8c6de_o-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Woman walks by destroyed Russian armor vehicle in Bucha \/ manhhai\/Flickr CC BY 2.0\" class=\"wp-image-3223\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/51986625275_0c7de8c6de_o-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/51986625275_0c7de8c6de_o-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/51986625275_0c7de8c6de_o-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/51986625275_0c7de8c6de_o-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/51986625275_0c7de8c6de_o.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>A woman walks by destroyed Russian armoured vehicle in Bucha \/ manhhai\/Flickr CC BY 2.0<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>Today, in relatively safe and calm Lviv (though no place in Ukraine is truly safe now), I was drinking a coffee in a caf\u00e9. I was thinking how difficult it is to compare my life during peace (when I could just plan things, when I knew what to be ready for, when I could just go out into the street) with this new wartime experience (when I walk in the street and hear jet fighters overhead). It is very difficult to accept that this is the new reality of our lives. It is very difficult to make sense of it in your head. Everything is divided into before the war and after the war.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>This war reality is taking more and more space within us. Only sometimes it breaks through: spring has begun, the apricot trees are blooming, the street I\u2019m walking down has beautiful buildings, this food is very tasty, we are not talking about the war\u2026<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:22px\">&#8220;<em>It is very difficult to accept that this is the new reality of our lives. It is very difficult to make sense of it in your head. Everything is divided into before the war and after the war.<\/em>&#8220;<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>Sometimes, when I work, I feel like crying. My colleagues are members of the local human rights organisation in Mariupol. They have not been in touch for about a month now. I ask myself if they are alive.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>My father is staying in Kyiv, just like my sister and brother. Thank God, they have not been injured. I decided to go to Lviv knowing that they were staying in Kyiv. I suggested that we go all together &#8211; they refused, and I left. This is one of the decisions that each of us has to make during the war. I never intended to make decisions with consequences of this magnitude. I don&#8217;t want to think that I may just never see them again. If I could choose, of course I would rather not have this experience, not make these decisions or go through this ordeal.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:22px\">&#8220;<em>When it\u2019s all over and we win, I will breathe a sigh of relief and I will say \u2014 yes, we\u2019ve made it. Everyone fighting for freedom in Ukraine, and everyone who is supporting us from the outside.<\/em>&#8220;<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p>When it\u2019s all over and we win, I will breathe a sigh of relief and I will say \u2014 yes, we\u2019ve made it. Everyone fighting for freedom in Ukraine, and everyone who is supporting us from the outside. Everyone who publishes the truth about this war. We will all win, because we stand for the light and the truth. And I promise, we will all feel like heroes \u2013 because we already are.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p class=\"has-dark-color has-yellow-background-color has-text-color has-background\"><strong>For resources and ways on how you can help people in Ukraine, visit our page <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/en\/fighting-for-you\/war-in-ukraine\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<link href=\"https:\/\/actionnetwork.org\/css\/style-embed-whitelabel-v3.css\" rel=\"stylesheet\" type=\"text\/css\"><script src=\"https:\/\/actionnetwork.org\/widgets\/v4\/form\/stay-informed-26?format=js&amp;source=gg\"><\/script><div id=\"can-form-area-stay-informed-26\" style=\"width: 100%\"><!-- this div is the target for our HTML insertion --><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"lazyblock-border-box-Z1Gvvsc wp-block-lazyblock-border-box\"><div class=\"boxed pull-sidebar\">\n  <div class=\"offset-border-bg skew\"><\/div>\n  <div class=\"content skew\">\n    <div class=\"skew-reset\">\n      \n<div class=\"boxed\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/olena_GRB2471-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"Olena Prokopchuk \/ \u00a9 Andrii Gorb\" class=\"wp-image-3274\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/olena_GRB2471-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/olena_GRB2471.jpg 547w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"boxed\">\n<p><strong>About the author: <\/strong><br><br><meta charset=\"utf-8\"><strong><em>Olena Prokopchuk<\/em><\/strong><em> <em>is 32 years old. She fled from Kyiv to Lviv at the start of the war. She still lives in Ukraine<\/em><\/em>.<br><br><em>Photo credit \u00a9 Andrii Gorb.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n\n<\/div><div class=\"boxed\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This is the story of Olena Prokopchuk. She fled from Kyiv to Lviv at the start of the war. She still lives in Ukraine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":3217,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"mp_greens_extranet_document_id":9657,"mp_greens_extranet_translation_id":0,"mp_greens_extranet_lang":"en","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-allgemein"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>&quot;Missiles were flying over my head&quot; - a young woman&#039;s story from Ukraine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This is the story of Olena Prokopchuk. She fled from Kyiv at the start of the war in Ukraine. 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