The war in Ukraine has pushed millions of people out of their homes. They fled for safety, seeking refuge in other countries.
Anastasia Sachkova is one of those people.
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“When the war first started, I cried 10, 20 times a day I was scared,” she said.
Sachkova received a call from her mother on Feb. 24, the day the war started.
“She heard explosions and she just said ‘it’s starting, pack your stuff and leave,’ we were freaking out,” Sachkova said.
She packed the essentials, grabbed her 6-year-old daughter and ran to her vehicle.
“I couldn’t take my mom because my grandmother is dying, and she was in bed and my mom wouldn’t leave her,” Sachkova said.
Sachkova and her daughter traveled to Lviv in western Ukraine first. She stayed with her sister for a few nights before heading to Poland. Her sister stayed behind, hoping to bring their mother over at some point.
Sachkova and her daughter hopped on a train to cross the border into Poland.
“It was horrible, it was packed, people were crying,” she said.
The train made a few stops along the ride. At each stop, there were volunteers outside, supplying food and drinks.
“It was so hard to get out of the train to eat that food and to get back on that train,” Sachkova said.
She was hesitant about getting off because she wasn’t sure if she would be able to get back on.
Eventually, they arrived at their destination. The two are now staying with a Polish family.
Eugene Shlyarevich, a friend of Sachkova, has a different story.
“If I escape who will stay here, who will protect?” Shlyarevich said.
Thirty-six with no children, he said this is the perfect opportunity to be a “militarian” or volunteer.
“I do not have any weapons, but I have my hands and I have my brain and I can help in other ways,” he said.
Shlyarevich travels back and forth to Kyiv every day to help people. He fills up barrels with fuel and water and stores them in his truck, taking them to people who need them in the inner city.
Shlyarevich and Sachkova have two different experiences, but they both condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin and all who follow his lead.
“He’s a monster, he’s not a human being,” Sachkova said.
Shlyarevich said the people invading their homeland are behaving like Nazis.
Each of them is hoping for the best, but they are concerned this unprovoked war will not end well. Even still Shlyarevich said he will stand behind his country, and is willing to die fighting for his country.
“Don’t tell my parents and my girlfriend, but yes,” he said. “If I take a weapon and go to Army, probably they will decide that I’m already dead and I think this would kill them also.”
Shlyarevich said the borders are closed, not allowing men ages 18 to 60 to leave in case they are drafted to fight in the war, but he said he always planned tostay.
Sachkova said she loved her life in Ukraine, and she is scared that she will not be able to return to her homeland.