Ukraine: “I was blown into the bedroom by a blast wave”
By Lyudmyla Malyuk, OCHA Ukraine
Liudmyla and her neighbours Liubov and Oleksandr lived in Ukraine’s Kharkiv Region, located just several hundred metres from the border with the Russian Federation. But after barely escaping an attack on their neighbourhood last month, they decided to flee their homes.
Despite the war’s escalation in February 2022, Liudmyla, Liubov and Oleksandr had chosen to remain in their homes. Their neighbourhood’s main employer – the railway station – had closed down after being hit, leaving few other employment opportunities. So Liudmyla, Liubov and Oleksandr lived off their chickens and ducks and the produce from their vegetable gardens.
Liudmyla explains: “My home was destroyed a year ago, and I moved to stay with my neighbour […]. Getting out of the house to my vegetable patch was terrifying, as I was afraid it [a shell] might hit.”
Liubov planted more than 300 tomato plants this year and was looking forward to the harvest. However, the cross-border shelling intensified late last month, forcing the remaining village residents to flee.
Liubov recalls: “I was in our living room when an explosion happened; I was blown into the bedroom by a blast wave. And a chicken was blown into the house.”
Weeks ago, staff from the non-governmental organization Proliska were delivering shelter materials to cover the houses damaged by frequent shelling. But during that delivery, yet another attack forced village residents and Proliska staff to take cover. Several days later, Liubov and Oleksandr’s yard was hit, which forced their decision to evacuate.
Liubov explains: “When Proliska employees brought us construction materials [to repair damaged homes], the shelling started, and we all had to run to the basement… They mentioned they could facilitate transport to Kharkiv in case we decided to leave the town. […] The day after, two mortars hit our yard; we decided to go.”
Proliska staff helped them to reach a dormitory provided by the city authorities for displaced people in Kharkiv, and where they now feel safer. Aid organizations have brought essential items to the dormitory, such as pans, pots and blankets.
Proliska also helped Liudmyla, Liubov and Oleksandr to restore their lost documents and register for assistance in their new place of residence.
More than 5 million people remain displaced in Ukraine, according to the International Organization for Migration. Humanitarians requested nearly US$4 million to fund the Ukraine Humanitarian Response Plan to help people most in need. To date, the plan is funded at 44 per cent.