Кожен та кожна з нас має знайти своє місце у цій війні. Спосіб, у який зможе принести найбільше користі. Aша знайшла своє покликання — “навчати людей не вмирати”.

Aша Карсакова вже два роки викладає тактичну медицину для військовослужбовців. Її робота — постійні відрядження в різні регіони України, викладання на полігонах та під обстрілами.
До вторгнення займалась активізмом, проводила чисельні акції на підтримку прав жінок та ЛГБТ+ спільноти, грала у плейбек-театрі і реалізовувалась у найрізноманітніших сферах.

Aша в Playback-театрі

Через перфоманс та театр досліджувала вплив війни на суспільство, в рамках правозахисної діяльності робила форум-виставу про гендерно-зумовлене насильство у Верховній Раді та реалізовувала велику кількість інших проєктів.

Aша має філологічну освіту та педагогічний досвід, тож вирішила, що як викладачка може бути максимально корисною.

 До тактичної медицини її привела особиста втрата — на війні загинув її близький друг. 

“Я важко перенесла цю втрату. І понад усе мені хотілося, щоб ніхто з рідних військовослужбовців ніколи не переживав те, що пережила я”.

Робота на перемогу — складна, виснажлива, часто демотивуюча, травматична, при цьому — найважливіша. 

Aша розповідає про тактичну медицину, складнощі викладання та позитивні зміни у суспільстві, а ще — про навчання, втрати та відновлення.

Тактична медицина по залишковому принципу

За словами Aші, найбільші складнощі в роботі інструкторки з тактичної медицини пов’язані з неправильними уявленнями людей про медицину та її важливість у бойових умовах. Часто потреби в медиках закривають по залишковому принципу, а до підбору персоналу, від роботи якого буде залежати життя, ставляться недбало. Пояснити командуванню, як важливо мати тямущу, навчену та підготовлену людину на посаді медика — не найпростіша задача.

Aша на тренінгу з тактичної медицини

Про те, щоб мобілізуватися самостійно, Aша теж думає. Правда, в сучасній українській армії для цього є ряд перешкод. Система більше підлаштована під чоловіків, їхні потреби та фізіологію, а жінкам часто лишається роль “помічниць” та “підтримки”.

“В мене є подруги, котрі мобілізувалися, бажаючи бути максимально корисними, і вони сильно про це жалкують, тому що їх там саджають на якісь невідповідні їхнім компетенціям і характерам посади. І вони, будучи в лавах Збройних Сил України набагато менш продуктивні, ніж були до цього, коли були волонтерками. Вони йшли воювати і бути корисними, а  їх поставили в такі умови, де вони корисними не можуть бути зовсім”.

Aша Карсакова та “Госпітальєри”

Позитивних змін, щоправда, теж вистачає: за два роки в Україні почав формуватися інститут репутації, а жінки все більше і більше отримують можливості реалізувати себе в армії. 

“Ще нещодавно люди одне в одного мало не ножами кидались, а зараз ми все частіше приходимо до продуктивної дискусії”

Інструкторів та інструкторок щодня стає більше, цивільні люди починають краще розуміти важливість домедичної підготовки та проходити курси, а ті, хто навчають людей рятувати себе, починають все частіше і самі звертатися за допомогою. Перш за все — психологічною.

Перша психологічна допомога: як не нашкодити

Aша зізнається: не збожеволіти після початку повномасштабного вторгнення допомогло те, що в цей період вона вже активно працювала з психіатром та психотерапевтом і отримувала підтримку.

“Взагалі я — депресивний пиріжечок з дитинства, і в повномасштабку увійшла вже такою, знаєте, психологічно мобілізованою”.

З усім тим, два роки постійного стресу — це занадто велика ноша навіть для добре підготовлених людей.

“Якщо чесно, мене тримає думка про те, що шкодити собі — це працювати на ворога”.

Рік тому Aша втратила нареченого на війні. 

“Я собі уявляю іноді, що життя — це така тимчасова гра, в яку ми граємо тут, на Землі. А після смерті потрапляємо у справжній світ. І там вже вирішуємо, хочемо ми залишитися і відпочити, чи їхати в нове відрядження. Моя робота — це постійні відрядження, тому я і переклала свій досвід на таку, власне, глобальну міфологію.”

Щоб впоратися з втратою, зверталася до різноманітних програм психологічної реабілітації. Щоправда, не всі з них виявилися вдалими. Багато програм, зазначає Aша, обіцяють відновлення та підтримку, на ділі ж їхнім спеціалістам часто бракує елементарної емпатії.

“Уявіть собі: починається знайомство з психологами, і одна зі спеціалісток при повному залі вдів виходить та каже: привіт, я Таня, я психологиня і у мене є чоловік. Ну… вітаємо, що тут ще сказати”.

Ще один проєкт психологічної реабілітації виявився мертвим чатом у Телеграмі, в якому нічого не відбувається — от тільки на восьме березня опублікували привітання “з днем весни, краси і жіночності”.

Перезавантаження

Коли останній “реабілітаційний проєкт” з’їв безліч сил та місяць часу на відновлення, стало ясно, що необхідно шукати інші джерела підтримки. Aша раніше вже брала участь у заходах Освітнього дому прав людини —Чернігів, тому коли побачила запрошення на Програму психосоціальної реабілітації — вирішила залишити заявку. 

“Мені зателефонував Геннадій, сказав, що мене будуть дуже раді бачити. Я подумала: ого, на мене чекають!

Участь в програмі нагадувала дитячий табір — один із тих, в яких Aша колись і сама працювала. 

“Це було і навчання, і відпочинок, і реабілітація. Половину дня ми вчилися, а потім — відпочивали. Це просто казка. І масаж! Це дуже-дуже було корисно.”

Aша уважно спостерігала за методологією викладачів та психологинь, намагаючись придумати, як застосувати набуті знання у її роботі викладачки тактичної медицини. 

“Я звертала увагу на те, що можна імплементувати в моє викладання. От, наприклад, перерви для перезавантаження — це дуже важливо. І цукерочки для того, щоб мозок працював — це теж дуже важливо!”

Але найбільше Aша запам’яталася порада однієї з тренерок.

Якщо відреагувати на ситуацію одразу, вона потім не переросте у скандал, адже скандал — це маленька заноза, яку не витягли вчасно.

Стосується кожного

На питання про те, що кожна цивільна людина має знати про домедичну допомогу, Aша відповідає просто: як мінімум пройти курси з зупинки кровотечі та серцево-легеневої реанімації. І завжди мати при собі засоби зупинки масивної кровотечі. Турнікет або бинт не займають багато місця навіть у найменшій сумці.

Aша та тренувальний манекен для відпрацювання навичок надання медичної допомоги

Та головне пам’ятати: аптечка — це не артефакт, що рятує сам по собі. Ми всі маємо здобувати та постійно покращувати свої навички надання допомоги.

Щоби навчитися не вмирати. 

Програма реабілітації функціонує за підтримки ZMINA. Центр прав людини, Human Rights House Foundation, Libereco – Partnership for Human Rights та проєкту ESU.

Проект ESU / Програма «Стійкість» реалізується Фондом домів прав людини у консорціумі громадських організацій на чолі з ERIM International, у партнерстві з Фонд Східна Європа, Human Rights House Tbilisi, Беларускі дом правоў чалавека імя Барыса Звозскава та Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation за фінансової підтримки European Union in Ukraine.

Robbing the local population, plundering the school, detention and torture. The commander sentenced. Briefly on how the Pakul village  residents survived 10 days of Russian occupation.

Who occupied Pakul?

Pakul is an ancient picturesque village in Chernihiv region, located only 10 km away from the Belarus border. Russian troops managed to occupy it nearly a month after the start of the full-scale invasion. The occupation lasted 10 days.

Armen Abgharian (in the middle). Photo: Chernihiv Time (Chas Chernihivskyi).

On the morning of March 21, 2022, servicepeople of the Russian 7th Composite Rifle Company (74th Separate Motorized Brigade) occupied Pakul. The unit was commanded by Armen Abgharyan, a war criminal . The permanent location of the unit is a town of Yurga, Kemerovo region. It was from there that they came to “liberate”, rob and torture the Ukrainian civilian population. Local residents say that the Russian “SOBR” (special rapid response unit) and other Russian Federation military formations were also stationed in the village.

They robbed and looked for “sauna with girls”

Several checkpoints were immediately set up in the village. Russian soldiers of Asian appearance, probably Tuvans or Buryats, were detailed to the checkpoint in the village center. They asked local residents where to find a “sauna with girls”. This terrified the residents of the Pakul as these soldiers posed a potential threat to the women and girls who remained in the occupation. Fortunately, no cases of rape were recorded.

The Russian soldiers were quartered in empty civilian houses, as well as in the premises of the school, forestry and fire department. After they had left the village, it was found that tools  from the school garage were missing. Cooking utensils and all food supplies  from the dining room were missing as well. New mats were taken from the school gym. Farm equipment, cars and trucks, livestock, poultry, food, household items and even underwear were stolen from local residents.

School premises in the village of Pakul. Photo: Education Human Rights House  — Chernihiv.

Inspections and torture

The Pakul residents were searched, every house was checked, phones and documents were inspected at roadblocks. On March 24, 2022, a local resident, Oleg Parasiuk, was detained when going through the checkpoint (he went to feed the dogs). First, russian soldiers interrogated him, then they took him to their headquarters located within the forestry facilities. Oleg was kept in the basement together with another man – Serhii Yakovenko from the village of Vediltsi.

Both prisoners were required to provide information about the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The men were beaten, but they did not tell anything. The next day, Armen Abgharyan, the unit commander,  went down to the basement. He unbuckled his holster, took out a pistol and shot twice at Oleg Parasyuk and three times at Serhii Yakovenko… Oleg Parasyuk’s arm and leg were wounded. Serhii Yakovenko received a shoulder, cheek, upper and lower lip  injuries, and lost five teeth. The men survived and were able to escape, as the basement door had been left unlocked.

In addition, it is known about at least three more people detained in the premises of the forestry.

Basement in the premises of the forestry in the village of Pakul. Photo: Educational House of Human Rights — Chernihiv.

On March 31, 2022, local residents saw a military convoy moving towards Chernihiv. Russian troops were leaving the village, leaving chaos and explosive ordnance behind them…

Journalists managed to identify Abgharian, so law enforcement agencies initiated criminal proceedings. It is known that Russian military personnel from this motorized brigade have been participating in the war against Ukraine since 2014. On September 14, 2023, the court in Chernihiv handed down a sentence and found a Russian serviceperson, Armen Abgharian, the commander of the 74th separate motorized brigade, guilty of ill-treatment of civilian population as well as of giving orders to violate the laws and customs of war. Abgharian was sentenced to 12 years in prison in absentia.

This publication is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the framework of the Human Rights in Action Program implemented by Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union.

Opinions, conclusions and recommendations presented in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID, the United States Government. The contents are the responsibility of the authors.

USAID is the world’s premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. USAID’s work demonstrates American generosity, and promotes a path to recipient self-reliance and resilience, and advances U.S. national security and economic prosperity. USAID has partnered with Ukraine since 1992, providing more than $9 billion in assistance. USAID’s current strategic priorities include strengthening democracy and good governance, promoting economic development and energy security, improving health care systems, and mitigating the effects of the conflict in the east. For additional information about USAID in Ukraine, please call USAID’s Development Outreach and Communications Office at: +38 (044) 521-5753. You may also visit our website: http://www.usaid.gov/ukraine or our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/USAIDUkraine.

All images in this material were created using artificial intelligence and are purely illustrative.

Dmytro’s story is about how everyone can find their place in the fight against the enemy by actively participating in volunteering and civic activities. Ukraine is experiencing the conditions of full-scale war very painfully. Everyone tries to contribute to the fight and victory. Some take up arms and go to the front lines. Some help as volunteers in the rear. But there is another very important area of work – documenting the war crimes committed by Russian occupiers.

The hero of our story today is Dmytro Vakhnenko. His path of volunteering and civic activism cannot be called typical.

Before the full-scale invasion, he was educating people on financial literacy. He enjoyed this field, life was going on as usual, but everything changed dramatically on February 24, 2022.

The First Months

Almost immediately after the start of the Russian military invasion, Dmytro realized that people and the country needed help – he couldn’t stand aside, so he joined as a volunteer to one of the volunteer headquarters in Zaporizhzhia, where he was involved in unloading humanitarian aid and assisting at the warehouse.

Later, Dmytro became the head of the HR department of the organization “Community of Volunteers United by Idea” – he was responsible for coordinating a team of 50-70 people, searching for volunteers, and engaging them in assistance.

“Previously, I worked for a large enterprise in Zaporizhzhia, more precisely, even at a factory, as a leading specialist in the department of analytics and development of the target production model, and it was there that I developed managerial skills, I coordinated the work of departments, so it wasn’t a big problem for me.”

However, even with this experience, the work was very intense at that time because it was necessary to react promptly to changing needs in the conditions of war, – claims Dmytro.

Evidence for future tribunals and volunteering

In October 2022, when Zaporizhzhia was heavily shelled by the occupiers, Dmytro made the decision to temporarily relocate to another city.

“I left the volunteer headquarters around the time I left Zaporizhzhia. After my return, it was no longer operating in the same format as before. So, I began to look for where else I could be useful.”

Despite this, Dmytro understood that he wanted to continue making his contribution to the fight against the enemy in any case – he continued to engage in volunteering. Later, he had the opportunity to join the documentation of war crimes committed by Russians in the public organization “Association of Relatives of Kremlin Political Prisoners” – he took advantage of it.

Currently, his work involves documenting facts of Russian occupiers’ crimes against civilians – killings, torture, and kidnappings.

“The most important thing we do is document the facts of war crimes. If we don’t do this, in the future, we won’t be able to prove that the crimes actually occurred. This is the evidential base for Ukraine, for national and international courts, including the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.”

Interviewing a shelling witness

Also significant here is the informational aspect because the world needs to know the truth about what the Russians are doing in Ukraine, Dmytro claims.

His work consists of two main directions: searching for information in open sources and interviewing witnesses and victims of war crimes.

Dmytro and his organization pass the collected facts and testimonies to analysts, law enforcement, and judicial authorities. Thus, an important evidential base is created for future tribunals against Russian war criminals.

Dmytro admits that he never thought he would be involved in civil or volunteer activities, but now he actively participates in various initiatives.

“For example, together with the community of civil organizations and local volunteers of Zaporizhzhia, we achieved that thanks to public hearings from the city budget, 100 million UAH were allocated to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”

In addition to this, in 2023, Dmytro donated blood five times, participated in animal volunteering actions, and eco-activism – for his active position, he received thanks for volunteering from the Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration.

Maintaining Emotional Balance

Working on documenting the horrors of war cannot but affect a person’s psychological state, says the documentarian.

Nevertheless, Dmytro believes that personally, this activity had an even more positive impact on him. After all, he got the opportunity to prevent impunity, convey the truth about the war, and also learn a lot about methods of collecting and analyzing information.

“I also continue to engage in volunteer and civic activities, so I constantly have to be resourceful – for this, of course, I try to take care of my condition so that in the future I can bring even more benefit.”

To maintain emotional balance, Dmytro advises finding time for relaxation and self-improvement, participating in trainings and events that help with recovery.

“In October, for example, I took part in an urgent support program and a 7-day psychosocial rehabilitation program from the Educational Human Rights House in Chernihiv – it helped me restore my emotional state to continue working in the future.”

Although Dmytro knew about the Human Rights House before, the program itself was told to him by the head of the organization he currently works for.

The overall atmosphere during the program played a big role: the program was closer to nature – there the pace of life, according to Dmytro, feels more peaceful, which helps to recover.

Dmytro also remembers the variety of new people from different regions of Ukraine, other participants in the support program. They were all part of an active civil society, so the rehabilitation program for Dmytro also became a place where he could find new connections and exchange experiences.

Dmytro in the Educational Human Rights House in Chernihiv together with other participants of the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Program under the ESU project (village Kolichivka)

But the most valuable thing for him was still the sessions with psychologists in individual and group formats.

“I liked the fact that psychologists devoted quite a lot of time to us – we had various psychological practices, I probably can’t name them all now.”

“The program was aimed at deeper understanding of one’s emotional state, restoring inner resources, and hearing oneself – all this together works very effectively.”

Place in the Struggle Dmytro Vakhnenko’s story inspires and makes one think – each of us has our own role and place in resisting the Kremlin’s expansionist policy. He showed an example that it is possible to combine different types of activities – from documenting war crimes to local volunteering.

It is important not to stop, to seek opportunities to contribute to victory, and not to be afraid to take on new directions of work, says Dmytro.

Only through consolidated efforts can we withstand.

The Protection Program operates with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation, Human Rights House Foundation, and the ESU project.

The ESU Project / Resilience Program is implemented by the Human Rights House Foundation in a consortium of civil society organizations led by ERIM, in partnership with the Eastern Europe Foundation, the Human Rights House in Tbilisi, the Belarusian Human Rights House named after Boris Zvozskov, and the Black Sea Regional Cooperation Fund with financial support from the European Union.

Atrocities of Russian troops during the occupation of a village in Chernihiv region: torture and execution of civilians, burning bodies in plain sight, and shelling civilian homes.

The spring of 2022 marked the beginning of tragedy for one village in the Chernihiv region. On that fateful morning, locals were startled by the frantic screams of a mother, echoing for kilometers. Gathering at the village’s central cross, they found the snow-covered bodies of four of their fellow villagers lying in a row. In a state of shock and deep sorrow, relatives used carts and sleds to transport the deceased, burying them in their own yards until better times…

This is the story of crimes committed by Russian soldiers in one of the villages in Chernihiv region. It is told from the testimonies of eyewitnesses, documented by representatives of the Human Rights House – Chernihiv.

Names of the deceased and their relatives have been changed.

Torture and execution of four civilian men

On February 24, 2022, villagers learned of the war’s onset from televisions and calls from loved ones. Later, they heard explosions outside the village. On February 27, Russian military vehicles rumbled through the village streets. The following day, Russian soldiers brutally killed four local men, marking the beginning of the village’s occupation, which lasted a month.

On the eve of March 1, 2022, at least four families stayed awake all night, their men not returning home. Until 7-8 in the morning, each family held onto hope, thinking they might have been delayed due to the occupation, spending the night with friends.

This hope dissipated for Petro first. Early in the morning, he went to search for his son Roman. He walked about a hundred meters from his home to the village’s central cross and saw the bodies of four men. Petro’s heart raced with dread; inside, everything churned with anticipation of impending tragedy. With great difficulty, he approached closer: among the dead was his 33-year-old son.

The tragedy reached Roman’s mother next. The woman collapsed near the cross, wiping the snow from her son’s face and screaming, “My son!!! For what???”. People heard this wild, inconsolable cry of a mother who lost her child from a kilometer away.

Katerina learned of her husband’s death, 34-year-old Stepan, next. Following her, Paulina was wounded by the news of her husband’s murder, 46-year-old Maxim. Julia came to collect her father’s body, 51-year-old Victor, with sleds, the last to know. She lived farthest from the center.

People transported the bodies of the slain to their homes and, as best they could, prepared them for burial. Thus, on the first day of spring, Stepan found his resting place in the garden, where he had planned to plow with his brand-new tractor that year. Maxim was buried beneath the window of the house he loved so much. And Roman – in the orchard, where as a child he loved to taste apples and cherries. Only Julia managed to bury her father in the cemetery: she lacked the strength to bring him home herself, but acquaintances helped her bury him in the cemetery.

Russian soldiers tortured all four unarmed villagers. Their bodies bore gunshot wounds to the genitals and legs, massive bruises, gun and stab wounds.

Murder of civilians and deaths due to lack of medication

On March 11th, the village came under shelling. Homes, streets, and most importantly, people, were affected.

“Uncle Vitya, save dad! Grandma is already dead,”

– with these words, a terrified girl ran to her neighbor.

That day, her grandmother Olena and grandfather Mykita from her father’s side were killed in the shelling. The husband had just come to bring things when a shell hit. Mykita died on the spot. Olena groaned for half an hour: her leg was torn off, so she slowly bled out and died. To alleviate her suffering in any way, the rural paramedic injected painkillers when she could reach the scene.

The son of the landlady, Mykola, also suffered a severe leg injury. But the man survived. He was taken to a neighbor who once served in the navy and knew the basics of first aid. He advised Mykola’s wife to pack the wound to stop the bleeding.

“And you know, she packed that wound. Her father was just killed, her mother-in-law died… But she gathered herself and managed to organize conditions for her husband to survive. Luckily, the paramedic had antibiotics. She injected them into the wounded man, so his condition stabilized. After the village was liberated, he was treated in Ukraine and abroad,” says a neighbor of the family who witnessed the events.

However, six villagers did not survive the occupation: they died due to a lack of specific medications and proper medical care. Among the deceased was the father of the tortured Stepan – Mykhailo. These people were also buried in their own yards.

“Open-air crematorium”

The battles for Chernihiv region lasted from February 24th to March 31st. The enemy repeatedly tried to take Chernihiv and was met with resistance. In many occupied villages, people provided coordinates of enemy equipment and locations of Russian troops. Based on this information, the Ukrainian Armed Forces struck. Consequently, the enemy suffered considerable losses.

Many villagers testify that Russian soldiers burned the bodies of their own soldiers. This happened on the territory of a destroyed grain storage.

According to locals, Russian soldiers transported the bodies with ambulances. Then they unloaded them near the demolished grain storage, poured something over them, and set them on fire. They finished off the wounded: villagers heard shots from the side of the storage.

The flames were violet-blue in color. The stench surrounded the area, making it difficult to breathe. This lasted for two days. During this nearly continuous burning, the concrete slabs on the grain storage resembled torn paper.

“In the first two days, the doors of the body trucks were still closed. Later, I saw hands hanging from the sides… The bodies at the farm burned for two days. From the window, I could see two soldiers taking the body, swinging it, and throwing it into the fire. The third one poured something from a bucket, and it burned. Breathing at that time was difficult, there was black smoke,” said a local resident.

Two years have passed. People are returning to normal life. The destroyed farm has been restored and is operating again. At the cross in the center of the village, the Ukrainian flag flies proudly, and a memorial plaque with the names of the slain villagers stands firmly. It serves as a reminder of the war crimes committed by Russian occupiers here…

The material was prepared by Natalia Naidiuk.

This publication is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the framework of the Human Rights in Action Program implemented by Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union.

Opinions, conclusions and recommendations presented in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID, the United States Government. The contents are the responsibility of the authors.

USAID is the world’s premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. USAID’s work demonstrates American generosity, and promotes a path to recipient self-reliance and resilience, and advances U.S. national security and economic prosperity. USAID has partnered with Ukraine since 1992, providing more than $9 billion in assistance. USAID’s current strategic priorities include strengthening democracy and good governance, promoting economic development and energy security, improving health care systems, and mitigating the effects of the conflict in the east. For additional information about USAID in Ukraine, please call USAID’s Development Outreach and Communications Office at: +38 (044) 521-5753. You may also visit our website: http://www.usaid.gov/ukraine or our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/USAIDUkraine.

All images in this material were created using artificial intelligence and are purely illustrative.

Ганна Бут — вчителька та волонтерка з Мелітополя, лауреатка відзнаки “Національна легенда України”, заслужена працівниця освіти. Розповідає про протести, окупацію, відновлення та півтисячі її “бійців-зайців” 

Ганна Бут займається волонтерством з 2015 року. Підтримувала мелітопольські дитячі будинки, організовувала заходи для дітей, позбавлених батьківського піклування. Ганна виховувалась у сиротинці, тож як ніхто знає, наскільки діти там чекають на спілкування, тепло та турботу. 

Тоді ж, у 2015, Ганна разом з колегами заснувала у своєму навчальному закладі волонтерський рух “Свічадо” для допомоги армії. Збирала допомогу для військових і паралельно з цим виховувала майбутніх героїв на уроках громадянської освіти. 

Ганна Бут (у блакитній сукні) з колегами-вчителями

Понад 500 її колишніх учнів наразі воюють

Зізнається: колись вона і сама пішла у військкомат, і, якби не здоров’я, певно, зараз вже неодмінно була б у лавах ЗСУ. 

Сьогодні Ганна з дочкою знаходиться у місті Дубно Рівненської області і ні на хвилину не перестає жити волонтерськими турботами. Весь її вільний час проходить у плетінні сіток, збиранні посилок, відправці допомоги і пошуках нових способів залучити людей до волонтерської праці.

Жити в такому режимі постійно — невимовно важко, але ще важче — відчувати, що робиш недостатньо. 

Ганна з дочкою змогли вирватись з окупованого Мелітополя, перебратися у безпечне місто Дубно, і — майже одразу відновити там волонтерську діяльність.  Але дорога в безпеку виявилась довгою, важкою і травматичною — фізично та морально.

                                                                                                                                70 днів в окупації

Ганна зізнається: до останнього не вірила у можливість повномасштабного вторгнення.
“Моя дочка Крістіна готувалась до війни, збирала тривожний рюкзачок, а я спочатку тільки сміялась з цього”
Коли ж це сталося, вони одразу почали ходити на щоденні протестні акції разом з тисячами інших мелітопольців. 

Ганна з донькою Крістіною на протесті

“За день проходили стільки кварталів, що стерли пару взуття”

Активні протести тривали до 18 березня, а потім аж до початку травня протестувальники збиралися на міжконфесійну молитву на головній площі міста. Паралельно з цим долучалися до акції “Жовта стрічка”. Ганна згадує: спочатку використала всі стрічки, що мала вдома, потім — все, що взагалі можна було застосувати до справи: нитки, тканину,  навіть жовту парасольку. 

“Ми робили все, щоб показати ворогу, що йому тут не раді”

Разом з дочкою Ганна розвішувала стрічки всюди, де нема людей — на стовпах та деревах. А іноді вдавалась і до більш ризикованих методів.

“Я придумала, як вішати стрічки в магазинах. Ставала спиною, наприклад, до холодильника, ніби щось роздивляюсь, і в’язала стрічку до ручки. Потім відходила, дивилась на неї і раділа”.
Перебувати в окупованому місті ставало дедалі небезпечніше. Скоро почалися дзвінки з невідомих номерів серед ночі. Голос в слухавці погрожував і називав її “бандерівською потворою”. Згодом невідомі стали телефонувати та дихати в слухавку. Стало зрозуміло, що настав час за будь-яку ціну покинути місто.
Останньою краплею став день, коли на центральній площі міста спустили прапор України — найбільший прапор у Запорізькій області.

“У мене ніби вибили землю з-під ніг, я довго не могла прийти до тями. Ми з дочкою по черзі плакали: спочатку я плачу і вона мене втішає, а потім навпаки.”

Виїхати з окупованого міста було важко. З собою — тільки домашні тварини та трохи речей, а на шляху — 26 блокпостів.

“Дочка сказала мені мовчати, тож я рахувала блокпости. Один під мостом, ще один десь в кущах…”

Окупанти на блокпостах всі, як один, були брудні та голодні — відібрали у когось з автобуса хліб та воду. Чоловіків роздягали та перевіряли на наявність патріотичних татуювань. Дорога була важкою та виснажливою.

“Коли ми доїхали до Запоріжжя, то вклонялись там кожному українському прапору.

Я дивилась на мирне місто і від шоку не могла розмовляти, здається, кілька днів. Тут люди ходять по вулицях, співають, танцюють, а в цей же час в Мелітополі голодують. Як ми не з’їхали там з глузду? Мені здається, тільки тому, що розуміли: якщо ми зляжемо, то нікому не зможемо допомогти. У мене стільки хлопчиків-бійців потребують допомоги, я їх називаю — “мої зайці”. Хлопці мені розповідають про те, як воюють, як автомати в руках у них червоні, бо стільки ворогів лізе, що вони не встигають охолонути. Ну скажіть мені, як я можу не займатися тим, чим займаюся?”

Після Запоріжжя Ганна з дочкою рушили в Дубно, де і залишаються зараз. 

“Головна мотивація — повернутись додому”

В Дубно у Ганни вистачає роботи. Весь час, вільний від проведення онлайн-уроків, Ганна присвячує волонтерству. 

“Простіше було б сказати, чим я не займаюся. Наразі плетемо маскувальні сітки. Запити ніколи не зменшуються, навпаки — їх стає все більше і більше. Мені тільки вартує сказати, що вже майже кінець… Буквально позавчора прийшли два величезних запити. Допомагаємо всім, хто звертається, не тільки своїм учням або випускникам”. 

Ганна розповідає, як постійно працює над тим, аби залучити до волонтерської роботи якомога більше місцевих. Як особисто приходить до підприємців та просить у них долучитися до зборів. 

“Перед дзвінком підприємцю я завжди молюся. Дуже хвилююсь, що відмовить. Але інші люди ще менше долучаються до зборів, у всіх є свій клопіт, у кожного тут по кілька людей з сім’ї на війні”

Завдяки її ініціативі до плетіння сіток долучаються вчителі та учні з місцевих навчальних закладів, ліцеїв та училищ. Нещодавно Ганна звернулась до директора Дубенського замку (замок князів Острозьких — Любомирських, фортеця в місті Дубно Рівненської області) — і тепер в її команді дві музейні працівниці. 
Найстаршій волонтерці — 67 років. Любов Костюк плете іграшки, які Ганна надсилає у Фінляндію, де їх продають на благодійних ярмарках. Іншій волонтерці, теж з Мелітополя, Ганна надсилає на продаж розмальовані гільзи.

“Всі мелітопольці, які втекли, волонтерять, це не секрет. Наша основна мотивація — бажання повернутися додому. Якщо я не встану сьогодні з ліжка, я ні на сантиметр не наближуся до Мелітополя.”

Ганна з дочкою та тваринами евакуюється з Мелітополя

Ганна зізнається: спогади з окупації їй майже вдалося залишити позаду. Тільки іноді, після особливо важкого дня, буває тяжко.

“Дуже важко стає, коли Крістінки вдома нема, закінчились всі активності, лишаєшся сама вдома і вимикаєш світло… Дуже хочеться відчути запах рідного дому.”

Найважче — лишатися наодинці зі своїм горем. На щастя, у Ганни була можливість звернутися по допомогу.

“Іноді треба поставити крапку і дати собі відпочити”

Ганна розповідає:

“У мене був важкий травматичний випадок під час волонтерської роботи, після якого я отримала мікроінсульт в правій частині головного мозку. Було темно в очах, я не могла підвестися. Це така травма, знаєте, психосоматична. Пов’язана з неприйняттям нечесності та неправди. Я зрозуміла, що дуже багато віддаю свого життя волонтерській роботі”.

Тоді Ганна вирішила податись на Програму психосоціальної реабілітації від Освітнього дому прав людини в Чернігові. Там волонтерка, за її словами, вперше за 52 роки відчула стільки поваги для себе. Змогла привести свої почуття до ладу. Досі використовує вправи з самодопомоги, яким навчила її тренерка Надія Локоть.

Волонтерам, які відчувають, що вигоріли, Ганна радить обов’язково звертатися по допомогу, адже самостійно не впоратись. Багато організацій надають психологічну допомогу, і можливість відчути теплоту та повагу до себе — неоціненна. 

Якщо відчуваєш, що здоров’я підводить — одразу став крапку та відпочивай, звертайтесь до лікарів.

“Волонтерам найбільше потрібна підтримка людей, які готові щось змінювати в країні. І сміливість стукати у двері, просити про підтримку своїх зборів, бо люди видихаються. Хто кому хто — ми відповімо після війни. А зараз понад все важливо підтримувати одне одного і дбати про себе”. 

Програма реабілітації функціонує за підтримки ZMINA. Центр прав людини, Human Rights House Foundation, Libereco – Partnership for Human Rights та проєкту ESU.

Проект ESU / Програма «Стійкість» реалізується Фондом домів прав людини у консорціумі громадських організацій на чолі з ERIM International, у партнерстві з Фонд Східна Європа, Human Rights House Tbilisi, Беларускі дом правоў чалавека імя Барыса Звозскава та Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation за фінансової підтримки European Union in Ukraine.

Levonky is a small village located in the Chernihiv region, about 25 kilometers from the regional center. About a hundred people live here, and the only one of its kind in Ukraine, the “Regional Center for Social Adaptation,” is located here. It was created mainly for people without a permanent place of residence.

On March 30, 2022, two columns of Russian military vehicles entered the village. On the way, they shot the transformer, immediately cutting off the electricity. After arriving in the village, Russian soldiers selected six local men for work and forced them to saw fallen trees that blocked the bridge over the river. They began conducting searches, trying to find Ukrainian soldiers and those who blocked their path.

“Pray, because your life is over…”

The men sawed the trees and returned. About 20 minutes later, Russian soldiers came back to the houses and took them, leading them to the territory of the Center for Social Adaptation. They took phones from everyone and interrogated them.

The soldiers took the men to the courtyard, made them kneel down, and tied their hands with ropes. They fired shots in different directions, threatening to shoot them. They told one of them, “Pray, because your life is over, we will kill you now, don’t worry—it will be quick.” Then they brought his father and also interrogated and fired shots over his head. Another local resident was beaten, and they threatened to deal with his family.

Later, the Russians took everyone to another room. There was a cage where the men were placed. They had guards and sometimes the commander visited. The men managed to escape only when the Russian military left the village.

Plundering and Destruction

Russian soldiers did not bypass the Center for Social Adaptation and stayed there for a day. They spent the night in a building that the staff used as a warehouse. They stole equipment, mattresses, pillows, dishes, and chairs. They left a mess. Russian soldiers even took things from a second-hand store that were brought here as humanitarian aid. Moreover, they shot two cows from the farm, which were taken care of by the center’s wards.

They looted the houses of local residents, taking whatever they liked. In one cellar, they threw a grenade. Moreover, in the village, Russian soldiers were often seen in a state of drunkenness.

The inscription left by Russian soldiers in the village club: “Forgive us, we came for the Bandera supporters. And there are looters among everyone :)”. Photo provided by witnesses.

Tank with an Explosive Before leaving the village, the wards of the Center were locked in a separate room. Witnesses said that meanwhile, Russian soldiers looted, poured fuel into one of the tanks, set it on fire, and closed the hatch. It burned for about an hour, and then exploded with such force that the tank’s caterpillar flew over the roof, it was found about 150 meters from the explosion site. Another piece of iron buried in the ground damaged the main water pipeline. The utility building collapsed nearby. The tank wheel pierced the trunk of a century-old tree, which fell. Nearby houses were damaged, the ceiling collapsed at the Center for Social Adaptation, windows were smashed, and so on. People managed to get out and put out the fire.

Volunteering

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the wards and employees of the Chernihiv Regional Center for Social Adaptation have been engaged in volunteering. They fed people in Chernihiv who were in bomb shelters with milk from the Levonka farm and other products. They delivered supplies to the blockaded city 25 kilometers away, even during shelling.

Even in just a few days of occupation, local residents were able to experience firsthand what “Russian world” is and how they could help others.

The preparation of informational materials became possible thanks to the Human Rights in Action Program, implemented by the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union with the support of #USAID. The views and interpretations presented here do not necessarily reflect the views of the US government, USAID, or #UHHRU. The authors and UHHRU are solely responsible for the content of the publication.

On February 28, 2022, the first column of Russian troops passed through the village of Levkovychi in Chernihiv region, starting an occupation that lasted just over a month. During this period, the Russians brutally killed local residents, detained and tortured them. People also died from shelling and lack of medicine. Houses in the village were damaged and looted.

On January 5, our documentarians visited Levkovychi and recorded evidence of war crimes committed in February-March 2022.

Russian soldiers shot dead four men: Oleksandr Orishko, Oleksandr Derkach, Yaroslav Varava, and Serhiy Nemchenko. Local residents heard gunfire, and later their fellow villagers found them dead. The bodies had numerous gunshot and stab wounds, as well as signs of beating. The men were tortured by Russian soldiers and then killed. The bodies of the deceased were found in the center of the village, right next to the cross. It is known that the men were preparing Molotov cocktails to stop columns of Russian troops, but they had no weapons. Their lives were cut short on the first day of the occupation.

The man who walked from Slavutych to Levkovychi was detained and taken prisoner. The Russians decided to make him a “messenger.” To make him agree, they tortured him, cutting crosses with a knife where tattoos were on his arms and legs. To prevent him from escaping, they went to his parents’ house and took his father hostage. The man was sent to Slavutych to deliver a letter to local authorities. What was written there is unknown, as there was no opportunity to see.

Witnesses who agreed to be interviewed spoke of looting by Russian soldiers. They looted uninhabited houses, and where people lived, they entered and took food, cars, livestock, and even underwear. Shops and the village council were also looted. Local farmers also suffered from abuses by Russian soldiers. Agricultural machinery on a farm in the village was destroyed and shot at. Russian army soldiers used fuel stocks prepared by the farmer for sowing and destroyed grain stocks.

Знищене зерносховище у селі Левковичі

There are many damaged houses in the village, with about 150 of them having damage. They suffered not only from shelling but also from Russian soldiers placing vehicles near houses and firing at Chernihiv. Two people died from shelling. These are Sotnyk Vitaliy and Tovkun Nina. Nina’s son, Oleg Tovkun, was injured and is still undergoing rehabilitation abroad.

The residents of Levkovychi lived in constant fear during the occupation. Civilians were threatened with death, for example, for violating the order not to look towards Russian soldiers or for refusing to accept food under the guise of humanitarian aid. They were forbidden to walk around the village or talk to each other. Living conditions in the occupation were also complicated by the lack of electricity, gas, communication, and especially medicine. In these conditions, six elderly people died in the village.

This continued until April 3, 2022, the day Levkovychi was liberated.

The preparation of this informational material was made possible thanks to the Human Rights in Action Program, implemented by the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union with the support of #USAID. The views and interpretations presented here do not necessarily reflect the views of the US Government, USAID, or #UHHRU. The authors and Educational Human Rights House – Chernihiv are solely responsible for the content of the publication.

The village of Lhiv is located in the Chernihiv region, approximately 50 km from the border with Belarus. In February-March 2022, the settlement was partially occupied. Russian troops entered Ukrainian territory from Belarus. According to local residents, about a thousand soldiers arrived in the village. They placed equipment under buildings and shelled Chernihiv. Trenches were dug throughout the village.

They immediately looted the local store and settled near the forest, in the quarry. Russian military personnel lived in civilian houses, and there were cases where homeowners, even with children, were expelled.

Local residents were detained and constantly checked. Russian soldiers did not allow men to leave the yard, only women and children. They were told that if they saw someone outside twice, they would be shot. They could stop, kneel down, interrogate, or search.

One of the local residents served in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He was demobilized half a year before the full-scale invasion but had never fought in the East. They took him out onto the street in the middle of the night, beat him, abused him, and tried to extract information. The Russians left him tied up on the street, where he spent four days. He spent the first night even without outerwear. But later, they released him.

The entire family suffered from the rampage of Russian military personnel. Later, journalists managed to identify the commander, Ruslan Kuliyev from Magnitogorsk, who committed war crimes. Also, his subordinate Andriy Chudin, who beat the man. On November 2, the Novozavodsk district court of Chernihiv sentenced these two Russian servicemen in absentia, accused of abusing residents of the occupied village.

They fired at civilian cars. A couple from Kuvychi was driving from Kuvychi to Chernihiv in a car with white flags. The man needed hemodialysis, so the family tried to reach the hospital. Russian troops shelled their car with the BM-27 Uragan MLRS. As a result of the shelling, the car caught fire, the man died, and the woman was injured. Russian soldiers put her in an armored personnel carrier and took her to the village of Luhiv, which was already under their occupation at that time. A local veterinarian and hairdresser removed the bullet, performed bandages, and saved the wounded woman.

During the occupation, there was no electricity, gas, or water in the village. Locals cooked food in ovens, cauldrons, or on the street. There was no communication either. Houses and cars in the village were destroyed and burned.

Before leaving, Russian troops robbed houses and took everything they found valuable, even domestic animals or poultry. In the morning of April 1, 2022, they left the village.

The preparation of this informational material was made possible by the Human Rights in Action Program, implemented by the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union with the support of #USAID. The views and interpretations presented here do not necessarily reflect the views of the US Government, USAID, or #UHHRU. The authors and UHHRU are solely responsible for the content of the publication.