As the fifth week of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine comes to an end, Russian military forces are attempting to surround and cut off cities across Ukraine, leaving civilians trapped without access to food, clean water, electricity, or medical supplies. Nearly 5,000 people, including 210 children, have been killed in Mariupol—just one such encircled city in eastern Ukraine. There are reports of forcible transfer, and locals report that the Russian military is “shelling the whole city with impunity.”
But what is it like for those on the front lines? What are the everyday realities of war? What exactly are people fleeing?
Daily Kos reached out to Ukrainians enduring wartime and asked them to share their stories with us—and with you.
Olha Boyko is a CAN EECCA coordinator, facilitator, climate activist, and coffee and kayak enthusiast from Kyiv. We spoke via Facebook Messenger on March 10. When we spoke, western Ukraine was considered safer than the eastern parts of the country, due to its proximity to NATO territory in Poland. Yet just days after this interview, Russian military forces fired 30 missiles at a NATO training base between Lviv and the Polish border, killing 35 people and injuring 134, including an American journalist and other non-combatants.
I am in western Ukraine, relatively safe for now. I feel, as strange as it sounds, even privileged.
I have a roof over my head, water, and food supply. I didn't lose my job, and I'm actually able to continue working. So what if an air attack siren catches you in the middle of drinking coffee with your friend? You just go to the nearest shelter and wait until it's over. So what if you can't do the work you planned to do and it's hard to coordinate and keep track of emails? You ask for help and you adapt.
This is what war does to you. You're just grateful to be alive and get used to the fact that nobody is safe.
I was living with constant anxiety for three months before the war, because of the potential attack. I was dealing with it somehow—still achieving work goals, going to the gym, meeting friends. But it was definitely keeping me from my full potential in work, relationships, and other activities.
Living in [this] country, which has been at war with Russia since 2014—it would be a miracle if this escalation to a full-scale war didn't happen. [But] I was hoping for a miracle, until the early morning of Feb. 24.
I think it's obvious that Russia will never conquer Ukraine. We have too much to hold onto. Our whole history is a series of fights for independence, including against the Russian empire. I can see that the world is finally understanding it too. Finally, the Ukrainian people are getting the credit they deserve.
I feel the international support and admiration, which give me strength. At the same time, my fellow climate campaigners are uniting to ban Russian oil, gas, and coal imports in the [European Union]. There are huge shifts happening now in global policy, shifts which should have happened a long time ago.
But being in Ukraine, it's hard to think long-term right now because first, we need to win the war. This is [the] No. 1 priority for all Ukrainians right now, and we appreciate any help which would bring us closer to this day.
I hope that other countries don't just get inspired by Ukrainian people, but also really invest into developing their own civil society. The power of people is what's bringing us toward victory now and what will help us rebuild the country. Without a strong civil society, there's little chance for us as a world to live together in peace.
Olha is still in western Ukraine, organizing as a climate activist. Lviv, western Ukraine’s largest city, is currently attempting to accommodate over 200,000 internally displaced people, with up to 30,000 new arrivals daily. For more stories from Ukrainian people in their own words, check out the other interviews in this series. If you’re looking for a way to help, Daily Kos has raised nearly $2 million for various organizations on the ground in Ukraine.
This story was produced through the Daily Kos Emerging Fellows Program. Read more about DKEF (and meet other Emerging Fellows) here.