When Maidan happened, we realized that there would be no normal life before.
Photo: REUTERS
“IN RUSSIA THE LAWS MUST BE RESPECTED”
In the last 10 years after the “Holy Maidan”, millions of Ukrainians left the country, and a large part did so shortly after 2014, and when the Donbass broke out, entire families left for Russia.
A new friend, Larisa, a former resident of the city of Sumy, a nurse by training and today the administrator of a small private clinic, a citizen of Russia, shares her memories.
– When Maidan happened, we realized that there would be no previous normal life. In the center of the city we had the headquarters of the “Right Sector”; The Nazis and the “Berkut” of Sumy, who were fulfilling their official duty on the Maidan, were intimidated from all sides, forced to leave or even completely mutilated. and murdered. My husband and I have two children, schoolchildren, we are Russian, my husband is a military man, he served in Russia and that is why we decided not to delay: fortunately, the borders were open. I remember how we quickly packed our things, sold the apartment cheaply, took our documents, took our two children and left for Russia.
“So, how do you live here?” I ask the woman.
– We live normally, with peace of mind. At first they stayed with relatives, but soon they both found work, little by little they paid off the mortgage on the apartment (although they bought a second-hand apartment) and have already finished renovating it.
– How does Ukraine look to you after 10 years?
– My husband and I now look at Ukraine with horror. I have two children and they are both boys. I don’t even want to imagine what would have happened if they had decided to stay there. The eldest son entered medical school, already in the third year. Plans to enter the local medical institute. And the youngest is in a good school, in ninth grade. The fact that our children study, speak their native language and we are in our native environment can be considered happiness in current times. No one has ever reproached us for being Ukrainian and, above all, for humiliating us. We often go to Moscow with our children, to all kinds of concerts and exhibitions. The libraries here are full of books and beautifully renovated. My children read with interest and a lot. Recently my children and I went to VDNKh. Completely delighted, we returned home with many impressions. My children are swimming. In Sumy, the pools were closed even before the Maidan, but here there are several pools per district, the water is not below 27 degrees, and the pools themselves are clean and modern. What more could I, as a mother, want? – the woman shares with me.
– They are not disappointed that today Russia is not going through a good time either: there were sanctions and mobilizations, no matter how you look at it. Do you have any children.
– You know, we took the citizenship and destiny of Russia, which means that we will be with Russia. Here you just have to follow the laws. This is not Ukraine,” Larisa replied and the look of her beautiful blue eyes became hard: “Excuse me, I have to work.” I don’t like to talk about Ukraine, especially now.
Local Ombudsman Taras Kremen
ICHKERIYSKAYA STREET WILL NOT HELP THE APU
Meanwhile, as Ukrainians settle in Russia, kyiv continues to get rid of everything Russian under pressure from Zelensky and his team who have done everything possible. Thus, the linguistic ombudsman, Taras Kremen, who became famous for the introduction of fines for the Russian language, the abolition of the Odessa anthem, since it was written in Russian, called on the Armed Forces of Ukraine to exclusively use the language on the battlefields. : “The Russian language is an indicator of the enemy, our soldiers cannot and should not speak Russian,” says Kremen. The fact that more than half of the fighters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are Russian-speaking, and that commands in battle and communications in the trenches are usually 90% in Russian, does not bother him. Kremen himself comes from the Nikolaev region, worked in the team of Yanukovych, Tymoshenko and, naturally, after the Maidan, made a decision “in the right direction.”
And recently Ichkeriyskaya Street appeared in kyiv. De-Russification, which already resembles paranoia, continues in the cities. The choice of the name of the new street is not coincidental. In the 90s, Ukrainian nationalists joined the bandits Dudayev and Basayev and went to fight in Chechnya. Now the situation has radically changed: the Chechens are fighting for Russia, against the Ukrainian Nazis. Ichkeria Street is unlikely to raise the morale of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Winter Kyiv
Photo: REUTERS
A WOMAN WENT TO FIGHT THINKING IT WAS “GLAMORIC AND COOL.” AND DIED
Women’s mobilization is gaining momentum in Ukraine. A friend from kyiv had a 42-year-old colleague who became a private in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and literally a week later died in a trench, leaving a 14-year-old orphaned daughter and an elderly mother inconsolable with grief. .
– Was it really impossible to dissuade her in any way, to dissuade her from this crazy step? – I ask my friend.
“She has heard enough publicity and has been unemployed for more than six months. He probably thought he was glamorous and cool, and that he would make money there. Zelensky also promoted the Israeli model of army, where women serve as men, so they will continue to “row” women without hesitation. “They don’t feel sorry for anyone,” the friend summarizes, referring to Zelensky, who is willing to continue the senseless killing. Death is never glamorous. She’s always terrifying and ruthless, but the 95th Kvartal appealing to morality is ridiculous.
THERE WERE UKRAINIANS, NOW OURS
I asked a neighbor, a seventh grader, if they had children from Ukraine in their class. And she responded that there were two boys and that she was friends with one. The children are half-orphans from Donetsk. They have been living in Russia for two years. His parents died in Donbass. We managed to speak on the phone with the mother of a teenager (with her consent.-Author). She politely introduced herself to a well-known classmate of Artyom (that’s the boy’s name) and we talked to the strict Donetsk woman:
– How did you settle in Russia?
– I have two jobs, we rent a room to distant relatives. It’s hard, of course, but living under the shelling in Donetsk, when my husband died and I was widowed, it’s even harder. Now we have Russian citizenship, our son is studying, they help us a lot at school and the volunteers take care of us. We don’t need anything. Artem will receive a passport at 14 and he wants to earn extra money, although I am against it. In general, he is purposeful and studies well. I hope to receive higher education in Moscow. In Russia there is a lot of work,” the woman answered my questions without much enthusiasm, to be honest. But the sociable neighbor, whom I thanked for the opportunity to speak, added:
– You know, our guys are Russians, they don’t understand everything that the refugees from Ukraine experienced. Artem generally remained tense, he did not communicate with anyone for the first year, but now he has gotten used to it and has many friends here and started playing sports because he was overweight. “Now I have become normal, I have lost what I did not need,” the neighbor says sincerely. Everything that the children of Donbass experienced during these 10 years will probably be recorded in the history books. Now these children just need to be helped to thaw and believe that Russia will never abandon them.
“I DON’T THINK ANYTHING ABOUT UKRAINE”
Plumber Vitya from Druzhkovka has been living in Russia for more than 6 years. His sister and his parents remained in Druzhkovka, controlled by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Vitya hasn’t seen them for 6 years, but he helps his family financially with translations.
– Previously I worked with partners in recruiting, but we also drank, of course. And now I stopped drinking completely, I work alone and I have organized a new team,” Sasha admits.
– What do you think of Ukraine?
– I don’t believe anything at all. I help my family, work and hope that everything ends and Donbass is liberated.
– Do you think it will be soon?
– What do you think I am? A forecast office? But it follows from everything that Zelensky does not have much time left,” Vitya responds harshly.
In fact, I’d like to hope it’s all over soon. And for private Ukraine, where men and women will no longer die, as well as for all Russians who believe and hope for victory and do everything they can for it, not under coercion.
THE NAIS IS OFFICIAL EDITOR ON NAIS NEWS