In the beginning of the invasion, when Russian troops were located right outside Kharkiv, they were firing all kinds of artillery shells into the city day and night. Cluster, shrapnel, you name it. It was horrific.
Kate Bohuslavska’s Story
In a few weeks from now I will be in Ukraine. The people I’ll meet live everyday lives that are a mix of nonchalance and terror. This Kate Bohuslavska’s story.
Kharkiv is located in the very east of Ukraine, some 35 km away from the Russian border and a little more from the closest Russian big city- Belgorod.
People were dying on the streets, burning in the cars, dying in grocery lines. Because no one in the Russian army actually cared what the consequences would be if they just throw some shells in the city full of civilians. Or they wanted to murder as many as possible. They knew they could get away with it, and they did.
Powerless
Half a year later, after successful “Kharkiv operation,” our army pushed the enemy away from the city. Kharkiv started breathing again. People started to return home. But a short period of time later, we understood that our happiness was premature. Russians figured a way to bomb Kharkiv from afar. Mercilessly and effectively.
S-300 missiles, the Russian air defense that they modernized to hit the ground, are reaching Kharkiv in only 40 seconds. Making it impossible not only to intercept them but even to detect before they land. We learned to accept the danger. We go about our business, living seemingly normal life, until one moment something somewhere explodes.
Somebody dies.
And we are powerless to stop it.
Whenever they launch missiles, those missiles will land somewhere in the city. City of 1.3 million people currently.
All I know is that someday, somewhere in the city, missiles will hit the ground again and take lives. Keep talking about Ukraine. About Kharkiv. Help us be heard by amplifying our voices. Advocate military help. Kate Bohuslavska 
Landmines
Last year, Andrii Ilkiv and Valerii Onul lost their limbs in a landmine explosion. After rehabilitation, they returned to service and now continue to clear Kharkiv region of mines on prosthetic limbs.
Andrii is an explosive technician from Lviv police. He was injured by an anti-personnel mine in September 2022 in Kharkiv region. Valerii, a deputy head of the explosives service of Dnipropetrovsk police, was injured while clearing Novooleksandrivka dam in Kherson region.
With such a large-scale mining operation, there is a catastrophic shortage of sappers in Ukraine. That’s why Andrii says: “My motivation is to have our territories cleared as soon as possible.” “I can’t leave my guys behind. They were waiting for me. They were happy to see me. We have to do this work,” Valerii adds.
Please share this post and help Kate, Andrii, and Valerii tell their stories. Join the conversation and post a comment below. Thank you.
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