What would you take with you if war forced you to flee your home?
On 24 February 2022, the Russian Federation launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In doing so, Russia dramatically escalated more than eight years of conflict in eastern Ukraine into a devastating war. This war has caused widespread death, destruction, displacement, and human suffering. Over 82 percent of all damage to houses has occurred in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, and Kyiv Oblasts of Ukraine. This destruction has resulted in displacement from the most war-affected areas towards safer locations. Today, 6.3 million people, including 2 million children, are displaced inside the country. In fleeing home, one might ask, "What to take with you?". Adults would likely say documents, medicines, valuables, and money.
We asked this question to teenagers from Donetsk Oblast who fled the horrors of war with their loved ones and found safety.
Kira
14 years
from Stepne
14 years
from Stepne
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"I took drawings I made one, two, or even three years ago. These were the first things that came to mind when I thought about what I should take with me. Of my clothes, I had only what I was wearing and a jacket. From my personal things—that's all."
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"First, I went to Yalta. There, I saw a plane flying, it was deafening. We all dropped to the ground… It's not difficult to believe that it was carrying bombs. It was scary at first, but it is funny when we look back on it. So, we went to Yalta, a village near Mariupol, Berdiansk, Zaprizhzhia, and Poltava. We were shelled on the way. As for my dreams, I wish to return to Mariupol to meet my sisters and spend some time with mom. They didn't manage to leave. We don't even have contact."
"I took my phone with me, nothing more. Thanks to it, I have the opportunity to play Roblox, and I can still communicate with my friends in messengers."
"I took my phone with me, nothing more. Thanks to it, I have the opportunity to play Roblox, and I can still communicate with my friends in messengers."
Hanna
16 years
from Bakhmut
16 years
from Bakhmut
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"My mom's friend supported us. She found volunteers to help us. We planned to leave earlier, but my mom wanted to stay with my father, who didn't want to flee. And I was asking "yes" or "no"… Unless there was no electricity and connection, I communicated with my friends. My mom's friend called and said she had arranged everything for us, and we were leaving. She simply decided for us. We asked her about details, and then the volunteers came and evacuated us to the neighbouring town from where we took the train to Dnipro; we spent the night there and finally reached Poltava."
"This is my teddy bear. I always take it when I go to bed. My brother gave it to me in Bakhmut, and since then, I have always had it with me."
"This is my teddy bear. I always take it when I go to bed. My brother gave it to me in Bakhmut, and since then, I have always had it with me."
Valeriia
11 years
from Kharkiv
11 years
from Kharkiv
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"The most important thing for me was to take my dog. However, he is in Poland now. We got him from a lady we knew, she could not keep him. Finally, we sent him to Poland as we didn't have the money to vaccinate him. One vaccination costs 600 UAH [EUR 15], and it was necessary to do four, and we have Darinka [Valeriia's little sister, who was born in a collective centre]. We were crying as he was put in a wooden box, and I was worried because I didn't know if he would survive; I already know of one case where a husky didn't survive."
"For me, the most important thing I took with me was my Yorkshire terrier. He is now in Poland because we did not have money to vaccinate him. But still, I keep his clothes as I will surely have him back."
"For me, the most important thing I took with me was my Yorkshire terrier. He is now in Poland because we did not have money to vaccinate him. But still, I keep his clothes as I will surely have him back."
Artur
15 years
from Kramatorsk
15 years
from Kramatorsk
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"The last day, when we were supposed to leave around 9 or 10 am, the Russian Air Force was bombing our military bases. Two bombers were in the air, and there were such explosions that I can't even describe them. I haven't heard such a noise since 2014. When things calmed down, we took our bags and rushed to the railway station. Thank god the distance is only about 800 metres. But we faced another issue at the station: it was full of people who also wanted to escape. We thought we would not manage, there were too many people, more than a thousand. But we caught the last train and went to Lviv."
"The most important for me was to escape, but I took my Japanese comics with me—Manga. They are popular and have a large circulation."
"The most important for me was to escape, but I took my Japanese comics with me—Manga. They are popular and have a large circulation."
Polina
15 years
from Pervomaiske
15 years
from Pervomaiske
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"Some of my classmates remained in our village, and occasionally, there is a connection to them. Sometimes I can't reach them by phone or message. And this is sad. Sometimes I play the videos from school when we were together practising, dancing, playing, having fun… And this makes me want to cry. It is heartbreaking to think that I might not see these people again. But we stick together; the war united us so that we stand and care for each other. Even with those with whom we didn't have good relationships or were enemies, we forget about it and ask how they are getting on."
"I took my cat with me. He is a family member and should always be with us. He is here now, and he constantly sleeps beside me. Often, he has to be caught - today, they had to take him out of a tree because a dog scared him. We have a strong cat."
"I took my cat with me. He is a family member and should always be with us. He is here now, and he constantly sleeps beside me. Often, he has to be caught - today, they had to take him out of a tree because a dog scared him. We have a strong cat."
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What would you take with you if war forced you to flee your home?
We asked this question to teenagers from Donetsk Oblast who fled the horrors of war with their loved ones and found safety.
Oleksandr, 14 years, from Stepne
Oleksandr, 14 years, from Stepne
Kyrylo, 11 years, from Mariupol
