Stanytsia Luhanska Museum of Local Lore, Luhansk Region
Olha Zakharchuk, head of the funds of the Stanytsia Luhanska Museum of Local Lore, who was supported by the Museum Crisis Center, told her story.
"The rescue of my family began on February 24, 2022, in the morning with the first arrivals of Nazi bombs on the outskirts of Stanytsia Luhanska and the town of Shchastia, which is quite close... In a hurry, we grabbed everything we needed and put it in our bags, but at that time we could not understand what was necessary, we had only one thought in our minds - to leave as soon as possible and save ourselves, and most importantly, to save our child That's why my life fit into a couple of suitcases... They had to flee through fields, black soil and mud - it had rained the day before, and it was very dangerous to drive on the road because the orcs were constantly bombing... Everything remained in Stanytsia: parents, home, work... There is no way to return, there is no future there, I do not want to cooperate with the occupiers and will not, like some other employees of the Stanytsia Luhanska Museum who were unable to leave
Our journey was long, we moved from town to town, and it seemed like the war was following us. We had to spend the night in hostels, on mattresses on the floor, eating whatever we could find... I felt pain and despair in my soul, but I was inspired by my little daughter, she is 6 years old, but she was very patient when we were driving for many hours, and stood in a huge traffic jam near Uman, which lasted for 13 hours, and endured when there was nothing to eat. We are currently staying in a more or less quiet town, where my child at least does not hear explosions and is not afraid... But the situation is very difficult, our family's income is payments to IDPs and humanitarian aid, which is given once a month... The kindergartens are not working, my daughter is going to school this year, she has no opportunity to attend pre-school classes. My daughter was engaged in rhythmic gymnastics until February 2022, she has medals and cups, but she had to stop training...
Now life has been reduced to waiting for victory, believing that everything will end soon and we will return to our normal life in our free, independent Ukraine, with a happy, safe and peaceful future for our children... confidently moving forward."
PS. We publish the stories of our fellow museum workers with their permission, and only when they believe that there is no threat to their lives and the lives of their loved ones.