Marina and Mykhailo live with their three children in a modular housing complex for internally displaced persons (IDPs). Mykhailo had acquaintances in Irpin, so they came here. At first, with the help of Mykhailo’s brother, they rented an apartment for two months. During that time, they obtained IDP status, and Mykhailo found a job. Their son Mykhailo attends a nearby school, and there’s a preschool for Sofiika.
Their village in the Kakhovka District of the Kherson region was immediately occupied. Marina didn’t want to leave, but for her husband, the family’s safety was the top priority: their young son and his wife, who was pregnant with Sofiika.
In mid-April, Mykhailo’s brother drove their families in a minibus to Transcarpathia, to stay with relatives. Kherson and Kakhovka are nearby. They saw military vehicles passing by. As they drove, everything was exploding around them.
“To be honest, it was really hard for me. I wanted to be in my own home, in my own yard, just the way I know it. My mom is there. But now it’s gotten easier. I’ve already given birth to Sofiika and Mykyta here. I’m friends with a lot of people here, and we share advice.”
Mykhailo himself left in early August 2022. Mykhailo’s relatives—five brothers and two sisters—also left their homes and moved away with their families, some to other parts of Ukraine and others abroad.
“After all, no matter what the situation is in Ukraine, we grew up here. I don’t want to go anywhere [abroad].”
This is a story about a difficult but vital decision. Find out now about social benefits, housing, and transportation for timely evacuation by calling the hotline at 1548. It will be difficult, but in the end, everything will be okay.
