Irina (36), Alina (16), Anna (4)

Sunday, March 6, 2022, Trencin

I have tried to imagine that I was one of them, that I am supposed to pack my things in a panic, hearing the sound of sirens and bombs exploding close to me. What things would I reach for first? What would I take with me? It's not the type of a question - what three items would you take to a deserted island and why. This is not vacation planning. If you remember where your passport is, you would probably take it. Then maybe a wallet, a phone and you would run away maybe with only those things that you have on at that moment. The life is in danger, life of your children. That's the most important thing you have.

"We are from Zaporozhye. The famous Zaporozhye cars used to be manufactured there. I came to Slovakia with my daughters on March 4. We couldn't stay at home. The troops began to approach Vasilyevka, not far from our house. We heard the explosions going louder and louder. My little child went out on the street and asked me: mom and dad will explode? I told her no! What about uncle and the neighbors? Then a friend from Slovakia called me and told me: "Take the children and go!"

"It was very difficult to leave home, it was even harder to get on a crowded train. The children slept on mats, on bags. In Lviv, it was impossible to get on the train at all, there were large crowds, people pushing everywhere. Fortunately, they received us very well there and helped us."

"Thanks to the volunteers who gave us a SIM card so I can be in contact with my family. My brother, father and mother stayed at home. I'm very worried about them and I'm scared. I left the house on March 1, just as my mother was celebrating her 55th anniversary. We managed to sit down together for a while, talk, we ate something small, and then I left quickly. I would like to stay here until the war is over, and then of course I would like to return home to my family."

"I don't understand why this is going on. The Russians do not believe us. Let them try to go through what we have to go through, play sirens for them, let them run to the cellar or shelter with the children several times a day. The children cry, they are freezing because you have taken them out of bed, and they are wearing only what they usually wear to sleep. What they (Russian media) are showing is not true! They're bombing us here! I want to go to my parents, I want to go home, I'm scared! Our neighbors decided to stay there, they have a small child, bombs are exploding around them and soon they will have nothing to eat..."