Ukrainians on the war: "We will be free"

"No one can tell me anything"

My sons and I spent a very quiet week.

My older son got a sore throat earlier in the week.

That's why we went to a doctor at the exhibition center where we were staying and of course we were tested for Corona.

My younger son and I tested negative and my older son tested positive.

At first it was said that they would take my son and take him to a hotel where he would be isolated, but I protested.

He's 16, not yet of legal age, but I won't leave my son alone.

Eve sleeper

Editor in the "Life" department of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sunday newspaper.

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My younger son and I were allowed to come along and now all three of us are staying in a downtown hotel.

The older one is alone in one room, I'm in another with the younger one.

But we can see each other briefly every day with a mask.

His sore throat is gone, his nose is running, he is coughing a little.

My little son and I have no symptoms and also negative rapid tests.

Despite this, we are in isolation and are not allowed to leave the hotel.

On the one hand, that's not so nice, because I don't like just sitting around - especially not in this situation.

On the other hand, it feels good to be away from the exhibition center.

There is coughing everywhere.

If they tested everyone, there would definitely be a lot of positive results.

The police have been there twice

We now have to wait until my son has a negative PCR test.

We'll probably have to go back to the exhibition center first.

That was really annoying: we had the prospect of an apartment, but then my son got sick.

Oh well.

Unfortunately, I have not yet found out how far along our papers are.

Nobody can tell me anything.

I can't take care of the school for the two boys until we know where we're going to live.

More than three weeks ago they were in Kharkiv, where we come from, for the last time.

My husband and mother are 250 kilometers west of Kharkiv.

It's quiet there.

My husband wasn't in the military because he was studying.

He therefore helps civilly: he drives food or clothing around.

Sometimes he visits my mother and brings her medicine.

I didn't hear our President's speech before the Bundestag, but I did hear the one in the US Congress.

He's the best president there is.

A role model for the whole world. 

"The Russians can't stand it much longer"

Everything has been quiet in my area for days.

I live my life as best I can.

At least I don't see any smoke from my window.

No fire, no explosions.

Only I hear that the missiles are getting closer and closer to Kyiv.

But I can handle it!

I got used to the situation.

However, I worry about my parents in Melitopol.

The city is occupied.

People are starving and freezing.

Even the Russian soldiers go around the houses and beg for food.

Or they plunder.

With violence.

But there is nothing left to loot.

The city is empty.

robbed.

There is no longer any supply.

The Russians cannot stand it for long.

If the Ukrainian army cannot drive them out, then the population can.

we will be free 

"Who closes all the shops at 8 p.m.?"

I've arrived at my sister's in the Netherlands.

The train ride was difficult.

Exhausting.

But the helpers are all very nice!

Sometimes I was ashamed of the Ukrainians, they often left a lot of rubbish behind.

We were gone for at least three days.

But I no longer have any sense of time.

One day doesn't matter.