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Russophobia is thriving now and sustains our strength and faith in a swift victory
A psychotherapist on working with people traumatized by the war
Iryna Makovetska04/06/22
Stories of Volunteers
Testimonies from people who have participated in humanitarian initiatives. The collection includes stories of evacuating people and animals, delivering food and medicine, organizing shelters, and aiding those affected.
28 Testimonies
- Recording
Ma’am, brace yourself — we’re going to pass you through the window
A volunteer from Kramatorsk on the city’s shelling and front-line evacuations
Bohdan Zuiakov02/02/23 - Recording
When we evacuated from Kharkiv, we walked on foot along the metro tracks
A Crimean Tatar on his volunteer work at the Poland-Ukraine border
Ruslan Abliakimov04/04/22 - Recording
When you’re dragging a wounded man, you have one prayer: 'Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck'
A boxing commentator on evacuating the wounded from Bakhmut and losing his son
Yurii Nesterenko03/08/23 - Recording
I’m not giving up my Donetsk identity
A volunteer helped war victims and was deported from Donetsk for it. She continued to help residents of the Donbas
Olha Kosse02/23/23 - Recording
'There’s fighting there, girl.' 'I don’t care, my puppy is there'
A shelter owner from Irpin evacuated animals under shelling and began rescuing dogs from flashpoints
Anastasiia Tykha02/08/23 - Recording
We couldn’t stay on the sidelines — we understood that many people would suffer
A volunteer from Belgorod helped hundreds of Ukrainians return home; a criminal case was brought against him
Natalya Vishenkova11/11/23 - Recording
You’re like a Spartan wife. If I die, it will hurt, but you’ll survive
A Muscovite moved to Ukraine to be with her soldier husband. In May 2022 he was killed; now she is struggling to stay in Ukraine
Tatiana Milennaia07/10/23 - Recording
One must not lose the ability to love and not fall into total hatred
A Donetsk journalist advocated for peace talks with Russia but took up arms in 2022. He was captured
Yevhen Shybalov04/19/23 - Recording
I zone out and everything goes dark. No tunnels, no angels, no conversations
An opera singer became a volunteer, almost died, and began to sing once more
Serhii Ivanchuk09/01/22 - Recording
They put a bag over my head. A pink, new one
A kindergarten teacher from Kherson became a TikTok star, was taken captive — and survived
Olena Naumova12/05/22 - Recording
They beat one fighter from Azov for three days. In the morning the guard called him a hearse
A volunteer from Mariupol who endured captivity and torture in Olenivka
Vitalii Sitnikov07/22/22
