My acquaintance with Lydia was a little strange. I once noticed a car in the parking lot with Ukrainian numbers on the yellow line. More precisely, on the hypothetical yellow line, because it is extinct, but locals know that it is a parking lot for taxis. After a few minutes, a young woman ran into the car, but I came out to warn that it was better not to park the car in the future. Soon we met at the Museum Night, and then at the Līva Village Festival. There we finally got to know each other and Lydia happily told us that in a week they would return home – when there was no more threat, the country had to be restored. Our conversation took place before we left.
Lydia Litovkina came to Liepaja from the city of Cherkasy in central Ukraine. There she works as the head of the local registry office. She has two children, 14-year-old Eva and almost three-year-old Kira. Together with Lidija and her daughters, the 15-year-old girl’s daughter was evacuated – the girlfriend could not leave, but she decided to take her to safety. In the refugee group there was another girlfriend of Lydia with a son and a relative with a daughter. A total of eight people. Drove in two cars.
“We left Cherkasy on March 5 at four in the morning, when there was panic. This was the first phase of the attack, they attacked Kiev. But our city is just behind Kiev. It was completely incomprehensible where to stop the enemy. On the first day of the war, an explosion took place in the military town of Dubyivka near Cherkasy. Was very scared. Our men insisted that the children be taken out, they were the most afraid of them. There were huge queues at the border at the time… We were still very scared because we didn’t usually drive that far, mostly around the city.
The men took us to the border, entrusted us with cars with children – then drive on their own. It was a big test.
We drove through Moldova, where an acquaintance met us, took us to Romania, we drove close to him, we were afraid to get lost. There was a lot of sleep, but this person said that in Moldova now, to sleep, you have to agree on a place three or four days in advance, and the place is good if you are in the gym, ”says Lidija.
The choice for Liepāja fell because there were friends here. They also drove to them. The meeting place was Romania. Lydia thought the trip was coming to an end, but friends said she had to drive for another three days. At the end of the trip, everyone was thoroughly tortured. Liepāja resident Dzintars and other friends found accommodation for the refugees.
“About a week after our arrival, the enemy began to be driven out of Kiev and
we started to be tormented by patriotic feelings – why did we leave so early, but they didn’t come to us… But then there was a kiss. And we realized – no, was not in vain… Because even to challenge fate – will happen or not – did not want to.
When we drove away, one of the arguments was that if they crossed the border of our area, they will no longer be able to escape, ”says Lydia.
And adds that while the war continues, there is great hope for the weapons that are being delivered to Ukraine. In addition, a large number of Ukrainians have begun to return home – outdated. And the country must be restored. Lydia says that the idea to return came in a month. However, the children really wanted to stay – it was possible to go to school normally in Liepaja, but at home, in Ukraine, they could study in person for only a week, after which the online studies were resumed.
“The children were excited about the school and asked to stay until the end of the school year. And a little after a month with great pleasure went to kindergarten. Everything was interesting to them, everything new. Our children also had Latvian language lessons from scratch, which they liked. In general, I have always said that dreaming requires caution. My eldest daughter travels a lot along the “school line”, knows English well, and had always said she would like to study at school abroad. It came true, ”says Lydia.
“Do you know what is the most horrible? Load your belongings. You never know what things to bring with you in a suitcase. Which children’s photos should I take? Because we drove away from home and it was not certain if we would be able to return. But it is a memory…
Mantas and nothing. But how to put 35 years of your life in a suitcase? ” Lydia speaks with tears in her eyes.
“The biggest experience I’ve had with all this is that people are good. Responsive and understanding. We came like beasts, we were afraid of everything, we were constantly sorry. But we were told, “Stop. We understand everything. Take your time. Be clear. We will help you. ” Here it is – in Ukrainian it is called “доброзичливість” – Favor We asked, but replied, “We will solve your problem.” And how quickly everything was solved… Do you know what surprised me the most in Latvia? My youngest daughter, walking down the street, said she wanted to pet the dogs. Only in Latvia did I learn that it can be done! We approach the dog owners and ask if they can. No one refused us! In Ukraine, it is not, no one allows.
In general, the response of people is very noticeable in Latvia. And – the fear of coming to our place. Our friends also told us that we will help you endlessly so that we don’t just get in your place, ”says Lydia.
She talks about how the Ukrainians got up to fight for their country – they realized that not everything will end with Donetsk and Donbass.
“We endured it for eight years, eight years later he came and said, ‘I don’t have enough with this piece, now I want the administrative borders and the southern part of Ukraine, too.’ That is why the whole nation also rose up to defend. A lot of men were evacuating their families at the time, saying, “You’re going to stop us at war, get away so I know you’re fine.” We were safe in Europe, that’s the most important thing, ”says Lydia.
There is another, and very unpleasant, revelation that took place during the war.
“We never thought that the Russians could be so cruel. We did not think that even if the Russian soldiers came, they would do something like that. There was a stereotype that this could not happen! No matter how the situation arises, we really couldn’t have imagined that they could make fun of people like that…
“This stereotype is broken for me,” admits Lydia.
And here a very important question arises. How to live on? When the war ends (I would like it to happen sooner), how to further develop relations with Russia and the Russians that are side by side?
“I cried a lot and one day after all this terrible news, I asked my fourteen-year-old daughter from the front: I don’t know who you will love in your life, but you must not love Russian. I will never accept such a note. Yes, they are all the same. It is biomass. Wise and thinking people are fleeing among them. But escaping is not good. You need to fight for something. But they do not want to fight. There are 140 million of them, which is much more than their entire Russian National Guard. The guards also have children, and they may disagree with this policy. They will not seat their children. Well, I think so. When we did not like Yanukovych, we overthrew him. We have our own ‘heavenly hundred’, the people who died for this freedom, for not having this president. So – no, I can’t forgive, ”says Lydia.
However, it is immediately said that when the war broke out, there was unofficial permission from the ministry not to serve Russian citizens in the registry offices. And on the same day came the father to register his newborn son. He said that you understand, even if I burn the passport, it will not solve the problem. And he said, “I am ashamed of this country, but there is nothing I can do.” All documents were drawn up…
“I am very grateful that in my life there were three months in Europe, three months in Latvia. It is a very understanding and compassionate country.
Thank you very much to Latvia for the opportunities, for the children, for being given so much to us. We visited everything that was offered to us – but offered us a lot! I really wanted the Latvian culture to be remembered by the children. We walked through museums and went to concerts, including a concert by the Liepaja Symphony Orchestra, it was amazing! We were offered a SPA, skating rinks, a cinema for children. For us, Facebook is a Ukrainian group in Liepaja, where information constantly appeared. And many of us took the donated bikes.
I am very sorry that we did not manage to learn Latvian. Admittedly, it is quite difficult for Ukrainians. However, if one of the Ukrainians thinks to stay here longer, it makes sense to learn the language, ”says Lydia Litovkina.
The whole company drove back through Poland. We contacted a few days ago – they are already at home, everything is fine, in Ukraine there is a hot weather, where, they are now, it seems safe… Life goes on.
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