war story
Schulenberg, Germany - Jan 20, 2023
Ukraine isabove all
Ukraine is
above all
aiMy school friend Marina called on October 2021. She informed me that her family was going to emigrate to the Czech Republic. Marina's husband, Valeryi, had lived and worked there since 2019 but she and their daughter lived in Kharkiv all that time. Now finally, the family was going to be able to unite and begin their new life together.
aiMarina had a lot of trouble with the documents for living in the Czech Republic and for her daughter to study in a Czech school. Still, she kept going and she began Czech language courses. Their family's life together in the new country began to improve.
aiBut 24.02.2022 came. And I found out that Valeryi went back to Ukraine with two of his Ukrainian friends. They did it to defend their Motherland with arms in their hands. Valeryi decided, although before he wasn't a military person. And his wife and daughter supported his choice. Marina was ready to stay on her own despite the fact that it's incredibly difficult to live in a foreign country and know your husband is risking his life every day.
Valeryi's military unit took part in the de-occupation of the Kharkiv region, a very difficult and dangerous operation.
aiValeryi appealed to his commanders to allow him to fight in his home area, in Kharkiv region. And he got a position in a village near the Russian border. He reported back to Marina that the village was completely destroyed, there was not even a single surviving house left. I too know this village. This is where my mother-in-law was born and my husband spent every summer there in his childhood.
aiValeryi's military unit took part in the de-occupation of the Kharkiv region, a very difficult and dangerous operation. They captured a lot of enemy military equipment, including tanks. This is why Valeryi now takes part in the formation of a new tanks department.
aiIt's difficult to overestimate what Valeryi, and other men, are doing as they risk their lives for Ukraine every day; as they give up a comfortable life in Europe with their families to fight for the freedom of their native land.
aiWe support Valeryi and his unit in our thoughts all the time. Importantly, everyday Ukrainian volunteers support them too - with warm clothes, candles in the trenches, other ordinary but necessary things to survive the front line.
