On February 24, 2022, Russia began a full-scale war against Ukraine. It has been three years since the start of war crimes against Ukrainians. Many were forced to flee their homes to escape daily shelling. This is an interview with Ukrainian refugees Natalya and Oleg from Pokrovsk, whose lives were destroyed by the Russian invasion.
Producer: Dmytro Sema; Editor: Shriya Roy; Director & Reporter: Karina Sema; Translator: Oleksandra Fedchenko; Camera: Varvara Rozumiienko & Antonina Rodionova
It has been three years since Russia started a full-scale war against Ukraine. But it’s eleven years of war in total.
In 2014, Russia occupied Crimea. It orchestrated and funded an armed conflict in Ukraine’s Luhansk and Donetsk regions. On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale war aimed at annihilating Ukraine. Over 1,000 Ukrainian towns and villages have been partially or completely destroyed. Eastern Ukraine lies in ruins. Civilians have also reported accounts of torture, rape and executions committed by Russian forces.
One of the destroyed cities is Pokrovsk. The city, where once life bloomed, is now in ruins. There are barely any citizens left, as there are scarcely any houses that haven’t been destroyed. Russians are shelling the city every minute with missiles, drones, and bombs, ruining Pokrovsk completely.
Today, there’s no Pokrovsk left, but ruins.
Natalya and Oleg fled at the beginning of September 2024, leaving their whole life behind. They had to save themselves and their parents. Their house was destroyed on January 25 2025, by a Russian drone.
(Written by Karina Sema)
aidoni.org 