Longing for spring and peace

Recent developments related to the war actions on the east of Ukraine had plunged people in Ukraine and around the world into a deep shock. The shelled bus in Volnovakha, trolleybus in Donetsk, firing of Mariupol by GRAD-type missiles – nothing is as bleak as the death of innocent civilians, nothing can be more absurd than the nonsensical and untimely death! Deaths of many civilians, the escalation of the situation across the front line… People in panic… Unceasing shelling, destroyed houses. Сold and hunger force people to leave their homes and go in search of refuge to new places, free of war. Zaporiz’ka oblast borders with Donets’ka oblast, so all that happens there lies only 200 kilometers away from Zaporizhzhya; therefore our city becomes the nearest point of escape for refugees. It is quiet here and no bombing is heard; in spite of all the difficulties of life at a new place, one can sleep at night without need to hide in cellars; there are no sounds of shellbursts of GRAD missiles, roaring tanks and  the horrors of war seem to be far away. Such things are hard to sustain for adults and elderly, let alone the children. It is hard to live in constant horror, so sooner or later people from Donets’k and Luhan’sk come to seek refuge here in Zaporizhzhya.  Within the recent days, after the bombing in Mariupol, we receive a new wave of asylum-seekers from that area. There are more people who are getting ready for resettlement from Mar’evka and Krasnohorovka, as the situation with shelling and property devastation is getting worse, making it dangerous and impossible for people to stay there.

The City Aid Center in cooperation and with the support of the city authorities is making every effort to address the needs of the internally displaced people, helping them to settle in, find shelter and get all the necessary humanitarian aid in the form of foodstuffs, hygiene items, else.

We are humans, and therefore we should support each other in the day of trouble.

We are all tired of this ridiculous and foolish war. We are all longing for peace and quiet in our country. We just want to live in our homeland, our Ukraine, to raise children, to watch dawns and sunsets.

We do not want any war, but long for spring and peace!