UZHHOROD in Ukraine and at the Ukrainian-Slovak border (Dagbladet): 15 days of war in Ukraine have led to more than 2.3 million Ukrainians fleeing their homeland, in addition to millions fleeing inside the war-torn country.
Alina (23) from the war-torn city of Kharkiv is among the lucky ones who have escaped. But she is more scared than relieved.
– Dad is old, over 60, in poor health and still in grief over mom, who died last year. He could have fled with me, and I tried to persuade him to stay away from the war for several days, says Alina.
FACE OF WAR: A Ukrainian soldier looks at the destruction of an area in Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv last week. Photo: AFP / NTB
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Crying all night
The father refused. He wanted to stay in his family home, hometown, and take care of business. The old man would also fight, if necessary, was the answer.
– Oh god, that was awful. I cried all night before we left, and it was very difficult for me to decide. I thought about being left with my dad and my big brother, at home, but then I realized that it was better to travel to a safer place, says Alina.
TERRIBLE WAR: In the center of Kharkiv lie two dead people after the bombing of the town hall. – I already know about two friends who died in the war there. In a completely meaningless war, says Alina. Photo: AP / NTB
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She is usually a private teacher of English in Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv, in the far northeast of the country, near the border with Russia. There have been fierce fighting and bombing here since the war began.
– Our schools, kindergartens and houses are bombed every single day. Much is already in ruins. It is very difficult to see all the videos from there, which come from Kharkiv. Many friends are still stuck in the city and can not leave there. It is heartbreaking, because this war is just meaningless, and we do not understand why peaceful people have to suffer from this, says Alina and adds:
– I already know about two friends who were killed in the war there. People lose home every single day, they hear the bombing. This is very difficult and not fair, neither for our country nor the people.
The strong women of the war
– Must be strong
A crushed Alina eventually fled Kharkiv, along with her sister-in-law, her sister and their four young daughters. Dagbladet meets them on the border into Slovakia. When you meet Alina and the many women and children fleeing Ukraine, while men, fathers and grandparents are left in the war, it is impressive to see how well they cope with the crisis. The clothes are clean, the hair is combed and the make-up is on. The majority meet the thousands of volunteers with astonishing calm.
– We just have to be strong. Ukrainians are a strong people. We have confidence in our army, we hope that this will end as soon as possible. Our men are fighting for us … Old men like dad go to war … Ordinary villagers out in the villages stop tanks with their bare hands, says Alina.
NEW SIM CARDS: Here Alina (no. 2 fv), sister-in-law, her children and a friend with children receive free SIM cards for their mobile phones, from Slovak mobile operators. Photo: Hans Arne Vedlog / Dagbladet
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Putin’s “play war”
23-year-old Alina is furious over Putin’s war against Ukraine:
– He is a crazy person in Russia, who is bored and just wants to play a little war before he dies. He will grab as many people as possible with him, when he dies. There is no reason for this war. He just runs a lot of propaganda in his country. All people are hired by fake news in Russia, while Putin is trying to rebuild the old Russian empire … There is no sense in this war, says Alina.
CARRIED OUT OF THE WAR: Tanya (75) is disabled and unable to do anything on her own. Therefore, the son Ivan (right) found out that he had to get the woman out before the war came to a head in their hometown, Odessa. Tanya’s dog Polja takes the journey with great calm. Photo: Hans Arne Vedlog / Dagbladet
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Just behind her, an aging woman, 75-year-old Tanya, is wheeled across the border from Ukraine into Slovakia. With icy hands, she pats her dog, the Labrador named Polja, while her son calls his wife, who is still in line on her way out of Ukraine. The border guards let 38-year-old Ivan roll out Tanya before the queue.
– In 2014, we fled from Donetsk to Odessa. Now we are on the run again. Because of a crazy man. I really wanted to be home and fight, but we had to get my mother out. She is disabled and must be carried, he explains.
Alone with little brother (14) in the war
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On the ski slope when the war starts
75-year-old Tanya was originally a seamstress, but became weaker and weaker from year to year. Today she is unable to do anything herself, which was the reason why her son found it vital to get his mother out of the war.
– It was quite quiet when we left, but now people in Odessa say that we got out at the last minute, says Ivan.
ON SKI HOLIDAY: Viktor (45), his wife Natasha (40) and daughter Margo (12) on a ski holiday when the war starts on 24 February. Now the snowboarders have arrived in the border town of Uzhhorod, but are despairing over their parents – and the dog – who are left in the capital Kyiv. Photo: Hans Arne Vedlog / Dagbladet
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The small family with mother Natasha (40), Viktor (45) and 12-year-old Margo are still in Ukraine, in the border town of Uzhhorod, where Dagbladet meets them. They are wearing alpine clothes, and were on a snowboard holiday a little further north, when the war in Ukraine started.
– We traveled easily, so we only have ski clothes with us here. But we are safe anyway, for now. But we are afraid of the dog and our parents, who are in Kyiv, says Viktor, before the wife takes over:
– My 82-year-old mother is stranded in Kyiv, where they have bombed nearby. We ask them to leave, but they say they are too old for that, she says.
The family has no idea what to do. Be left in Ukraine, or to cross the border into Europe. An impossible choice that millions of Ukrainians are wondering about now.
STAY OR GO: 40-year-old Natasha is devastated by the thought of her 82-year-old mother who is alone with their dog in the capital Kyiv. Photo: Hans Arne Vedlog / Dagbladet
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