The Khlopov family is from Kharkiv. The two children and their parents were at home when the big war began. They lived in the northern part of the city, 7–8 kilometres from Russia’s Belgorod region.“Constant shelling. We hardly ever left the basements, especially at night. During the day, when the shooting died down a little, we ran home to eat and sleep a bit, because it was impossible in the basement. The shops didn’t work; when bread and some food were delivered, we found out in the neighbourhood chat and ran to get them. There were huge queues. The shelling would start again, and we stood there trembling, hoping nothing would hit us, and there wasn’t enough food for everyone. One such queue was hit. That’s how we lived until about the beginning of March. But when enemy bombers began flying over our building towards the city – and you could hear them appear suddenly, right overhead – our nerves gave out, and we decided to flee despite the fear and the risk,” says the mother, Iryna.

The family left for Khmelnytskyi region, where Iryna’s parents’ flat was. The journey to Volochysk took two days.

“Fuel couldn’t be bought everywhere; even if you waited in a queue for 3–4 hours, there was no guarantee there would be enough for you, and they sold a limited number of litres per car. In Kropyvnytskyi, we were taken in for the night at some camp (I don’t remember now, because we were on edge and exhausted, but I am very grateful to the people who helped and even fed us). On the morning of 8 March, we reached Volochysk,” Iryna shares.

Although the town was familiar, settling in was not easy for the family. There were panic attacks and breakdowns; they didn’t want to see or talk to anyone.

“But life goes on, and you need something to live on. I started looking for a job; my younger daughter was in second grade at the time. She studied online. But we decided it couldn’t go on like that and she went to the town school. Now we have got used to it and gradually settled in; we work and study,” Iryna continues.

The younger daughter is now in fifth grade; she attends music school, draws and studies English. The elder has returned to Kharkiv because she is finishing her medical internship.

“My husband has also been in Kharkiv for 2 years now, caring for his sick mother. Here in Volochysk it’s me and my daughter, my father, my sister and her two children,” Iryna clarifies.

What the Khlopov family dreams of most is for the war to end as soon as possible so that they can go home.

“To continue building our country house, keep bees and grow different grape varieties. Nastia wants pets,” Iryna admits.

“My drawing shows our country: mountains, forests, a river, a field, and all of it is protected by a motanka doll with a stork. Many children are suffering now, and the motanka doll is both a talisman and a toy for the soul. And the picturesque landscape shows calm and peace,” Anastasiia shares.