A 14-year-old boy.
Went to live.
In western Ukraine.
With his aunt.
After his mum.
His granddad.
His uncle and eight-year-old cousin.
Were all killed in Hroza.
Many who died there.
Were parents.
And Hroza now is known as.
A village of orphans.
“I miss you very very much.”
He tells his grandmother.
Over a video call.
“Me too,” she replies.
His grandmother, 57.
Decided to stay in Hroza.
Despite losing most of her family.
In the attack.
Including her husband.
Including her daughter.
Including her son.
And a grandson.
You take a walk.
With her around the village.
Where she has lived her whole life.
Things are different now.
“This is a very scary place.”
She tells you as you walk past.
The damaged building.
Where the missile hit.
“It’s hard, knowing that.
Your children were lying here.
On the ground.
Their death is here.”
“The more time passes.
The worse I feel.
I have nobody.
Almost no-one survived.”
A 14-year-old boy.
Went to live.
In western Ukraine.
With his aunt.
After his mum.
His granddad.
His uncle and eight-year-old cousin.
Were all killed in Hroza.
Many who died there.
Were parents.
And Hroza now is known as.
A village of orphans.
She gets comfort.
From her pets.
Two dogs.
And a cat.
Her priority now is.
Her grandson.
She wants him.
To get a good education.
She video calls.
Him frequently.
And has paid for him.
To go to extra IT classes.
But most importantly.
She wants him to be safe.
And she is glad he is no longer.
In the Kharkiv region.
Which has had little respite.
From violence.
Since the war began.
In February 2022.
The region, including Hroza.
Was captured.
By ‘orcs’ forces.
Early on in the invasion.
It was recaptured.
By Ukraine.
In a major counter-offensive.
In September 2022.
But as the war rages on.
The area continues to be.
Targeted by ‘orcs’ drone attacks.
Bombs and missiles.
A 14-year-old boy.
Went to live.
In western Ukraine.
With his aunt.
After his mum.
His granddad.
His uncle and eight-year-old cousin.
Were all killed in Hroza.
Many who died there.
Were parents.
And Hroza now is known as.
A village of orphans.
Fourteen children in the village.
Lost at least one parent.
In the attack.
Including eight who lost both.
In all of these cases.
Grandparents or other relatives.
Decided to care for the children.
So they would not be sent to orphanages.
Most people are still.
Haunted by what happened.
A local resident says.
“My heart was broken.”
“I will never forget the funerals.
When these children were standing there.
Silently and lonely.
Holding each other’s hands.”
After the attack.
Some orphans decided.
To move away.
To a safer area.
A 14-year-old boy.
Went to live.
In western Ukraine.
With his aunt.
After his mum.
His granddad.
His uncle and eight-year-old cousin.
Were all killed in Hroza.
Many who died there.
Were parents.
And Hroza now is known as.
A village of orphans.
*Because I read “Ukraine war: Village children of Hroza orphaned by Russian missile” by Zhanna Bezpiatchuk on 22 Feb 2024, and also “Why are Ukrainians calling Russians ‘orcs’?” by James FitzGerald on 30 Apr 2022, on the BBC news.
So, I wrote this poem as a story of Vlad and Valentyna, and a story of Diana.
Please read the original story on the BBC news:
Ukraine war: Village children of Hroza orphaned by Russian missile – BBC News
**My friend shows you this poem with another one on the Ukrainian website for their children and others!
Please join them!
