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As Russian forces continue to advance into eastern Ukraine, they have withdrawn from other areas, where Ukrainian residents are returning to what is left of their homes.
The house of 82-year-old Oleksandra Yahodyna was destroyed after the Russian bombing of her hometown, Irpin.
She and her daughter Veera Malakhina lived in that house for over 20 years. Veera recalls that both fled from there with the help of the Ukrainian army.
“We were asked to help us. The bombings were horrific. “Soldiers helped us cross the river through a floating bridge.” explains Veera.
Veera Malakhina is 65 years old. She has been a painter since a young age. Ten years ago, she had enough money to repair this old house.
Now she and her mother are digging up everything they can to escape.
“People helped me get the fridge out. It works, it is damaged, but you plug it in and it works. I cook at the neighbor’s house. “They gave me the keys and let me take a shower.”
Olexandra sought to pull her sofa out of the rubble.
“I was asked to help me pull my sofa out of the rubble, so that I could at least sit in the sun.”
Now, she spends most of the day here. When it rains, it enters a small barn that survived the bombing.
At night, mother and daughter share a mattress on the floor.
But Veera Malakhina says they are better than others. Some of her neighbors have nowhere to shelter. Russian artillery destroyed everything.
“We have at least something left. “There is nothing left of our neighbor Sura’s house, which is the first on our road.”
Occasionally, Veera tries to break into the ruined house in search of more items. She says the most precious is a wedding photo.
“This is my husband who died, here I am and my classmates.”
Olaksandra is glad her flowers have survived.
“When I lived in the village I planted a lot of flowers. “My friends asked me how I took care of them and I always answered – it’s easy.”
Recently, Veera received a small amount of cash assistance from the state, equivalent to about US $ 65. She does not have enough money to start the reconstruction at the moment.
Before the start of the war, Veera says she was unable to work and had planned to undergo surgery against cancer. But everything is waiting for the moment./ VOA
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