Nataliia's story - Snihurivka,Mykolaiv region, South Ukraine  

Photo Caption:

Sofiia, 15 year-old in front of her damaged school in Snihurivka, Mykolaiv region, South Ukraine. On 19 March 2022, she left the city with her parents after their house was hit in an attack and returned in January 2023.

Full story

Nataliia, 42 years old, lives with her husband and their 15 year-old daughter Sofiia, in Snihurivka, Mykolaiv region, South Ukraine. She works in a public administration in the city. On 19 March 2022, they left the city after their house was hit in an attack and returned in January 2023.

“Before the war, we were busy with work, Sofiia went to school in Snihurivka gymnasium and had activities. She was an active girl, she had many friends. Every summer we went to the sea for a vacation as a family. We could never believe that there would be a war in Ukraine - it is very scary.”, Nataliia shared.

“On 25 February 2022, the RF blew up the power substation that supplied the former Snihurivka district and the town itself with electricity, we had no electricity, no water, no mobile phone. There was no food, vegetables, fruits, or anything in the stores. » As Kherson and the region were already under RU control, and the bridge to Mykolaiv was blown up, food supply chains where disrupted: « It was impossible to bring anything to us, the local bakery baked bread whenever possible, and there was a huge line for it.”, Nataliia said.

“We went to work until we left the city, hiding in the basement. We did not leave because we hoped that the war would end soon, but on 03/14/2022 they air bombs were dropped on our city, and on 03/19/2022 our house was shelled in the morning. My husband and I were wounded, thank God we managed to throw our daughter into the basement. There was a lot of blood, and my daughter was screaming for her mom and dad because she didn't know whether we were alive or not. Sofia got a lot of stress. », Nataliia explained.

«Our neighbor was killed and his house burned down at the same time. For several hours we stayed in the basement until it was quiet and then we went to the hospital where we received medical care. After the hospital we went home to find our cat and take our things to leave, but the RF had already entered our town. The next day we left the city, fearing for our daughter's life and ours. We left without our belongings and took only our documents. », Nataliia shared.

“We first went to a neighboring village that was not under Russian control, but it was impossible to live there because it was constantly shelled. After a few months, we moved to Mykolaiv and stayed with friends who gave us shelter, for which we are grateful. We didn't want to leave home because we hoped that the war would end soon and we would return home, but Mykolaiv was also shelled every day and we had to go further to western Ukraine, we didn't know where to go and what we would live for. Our family from Ternopil called us and invited us to live with them, provided us with an apartment and everything we needed, and we are very grateful for their help. In Ternopil, I had an operation and underwent rehabilitation”, Nataliia shared.

“It took us a long time to recover from the stresses and get used to the new life, we missed our city, family, friends because the war took all this away from us. “, Nataliia added.

On 10.11.2022, Snihurivka was retaken by the UAF: “We were afraid to return, and there was no electricity or water there, until January 2023. We then returned home and went back to work. “The worst thing was on 'Easter' on 16.04.2023, when they shelled with S-300, killing 2 teenagers and destroying 2 schools and a house of culture, among these schools was our gymnasium, where Sofia studied before the war.”

“Sofiia missed her friends, they communicated only online. Most of her classmates are abroad or somewhere. Only two of them returned, Sofiia and a friend. She misses her friends as the war has spread them apart and they cannot meet, hug and fool around as before. The war took away our children's childhood and joy.”, Nataliia explained.

“She is a good student and dreams of becoming a doctor. Sofiia was a very good painter and took part in competitions and won prizes. Now she doesn’t paint anymore.”, Nataliia shared.

For Nataliia, the future remains uncertain: “We want to repair the house inside, we began already but again shellings started, so we didn’t complete it. If something happens, we don't want to spend all money we earned and have no money to leave just in case. So we are careful, step by step. You know we didn't have such feeling before, we didn't know what war was. But now we are scared“, Nataliia explained.

“Before the war, we planned our future, and now we have no plans. The only thing we want is for the war to end”