Vesna is 16 and has never left her country—though her consumption of American pop culture gives her words a cosmopolitan flair. Oleksandr is about to turn 20 but he never imagined he’d do so under the sound of shelling and air raid sirens. Steve and Tom left their native Nigeria behind to study abroad, only for conflict to find them once again. And Anna loves her city, mum, boyfriend and cat so dearly that it’s hard to imagine any other life.
This is a story—based on diary entries and interviews with those who have lived the war in different parts of Ukraine—of a swift and brutal destruction of a life and country that got ripped apart in front of their eyes. It’s a story they want to share with you, who witnessed the war through TV screens and on news apps. It’s a story of the first month of a war that changed everything.
Click on the dates in the calendar below to read the diary entries
The original version of this story was published in Are We Europe magazine #14 “Beyond the headlines of war” in May 2022.
Since publishing this story, Oleksandr received his journalism degree and moved to Kyiv to continue studying.
Steve and Tom have continued their journey and did not wish to divulge anything else in order to protect their privacy.
Vesna could not be reached for updates. During our last communication, she said she was returning to Mariupol.
After staying in Berlin for a few months, Ana moved to Canada and Margo is now living in Spain. Both of their families are still in Ukraine and doing well.