Year: 2024

From a block. You had thought was empty. A woman emerged. From her damaged flat.   Its walls covered. In scorch marks. “They were bombing. Here for a month.”   “And everything. Got burnt.” Said the woman. Who’s 71.   Extraordinarily. She stayed in her flat. Throughout the terrifying. Battle for Bucha.     She […]

“We were no danger. To the military. We were civilians. Wearing white scarves.”   “We were civilians. Wearing white scarves. To show that.” “It’s very stupid.”     At around 11:00. On 17 March. He and his father. Were cycling.   To Bucha’s. Administration building. Where aid was being. Handed out.   Electricity, gas and. […]

I was visiting my son. In Bucha. And that’s where. I saw the war.   The ‘orcs’ occupiers came. To us on 3 March. We hid in the basement. Of the house.   We were very scared. We didn’t know. What to do. We just sat and waited.   In the evening. We heard that […]

I left Bucha. On the second day. But my parents and sisters. Remained there.   They were held captive. For four days. ‘Orcs’ took people prisoner. As human shields.     For 6 people. ‘Orcs’ gave. 1 can of pate and. 1.5 litres of water.   Dad stood in a line. For the firing squad. […]

The fact that we evacuated. Is a blessing. But my soul and thoughts. Are with Bucha.   And with all. The heroic cities. With the people. Who are trapped.   With the children. Who should not. Be involved. In the war at all.     Those were terrible days. When neither your yard. Nor your […]

‘Orcs’ captured the land. ‘Orcs’ captured, but he’ll be back to. ‘Orcs’ captured the land.     Behind the white walls. Of St Andrew’s Church. Where many were buried in. A mass grave during the occupation.   There is now a memorial wall. Of metal plaques. So far it displays. 509 names.     ‘Orcs’ […]

“I calculated that. I had more chance of surviving. Under shelling than. If I stayed in that cellar.”   “They’d already. Put the gun to my head. What would it cost them. To pull the trigger?”     Across the road. From Camp Radiant. Behind a church spattered. With shrapnel damage.   A corner of […]

It is easy to miss. The killing spot. At first. In the gloom.   But in a cold. Damp basement. On the edge. Of the woods.   That made Bucha. A popular. Get-away spot. Before the war.   Five ‘elves’ men. Were forced. To their knees and. Shot in the head.     What happened? […]

She shows you. Purple crocuses. And bluebells. In neat rows.   And the green shoots. Of daffodils. Then she leads you. Past the porch.   Where her husband was shot. Through a wooden gate. Onto the plot of land. Where she buried him.   “Look how many. Tulips are coming out!” She points towards the […]

There are few places. From where you can see. ‘Orcs’-occupied territory. With the naked eye in Ukraine.   The western bank. Of the Dnipro river. In the city of Kherson. Is one of them.   You can’t see. The ‘orcs’ troops on the other. Low, marshy riverbank. But you know they’re there.   On the […]