"My mother calls us Christ -seller"

Ekaterina Kvitka, 41 years old, model artist

We lived in the city of Debaltseve, Donetsk region. I am a seamstress by profession, and before the war I had my own repair workshop, sewing and designing clothes. It so happened that I had to disperse with my husband and educate three children. My children are already all adults, it was necessary to pay for higher educational institutions, keep a large apartment. Therefore, even with my workshop I was not enough funds. Although the work is beloved. Additional income was needed, and sometimes I came to Russia to work.

Children studied at universities. The eldest daughter graduated from the Institute of Economics and Law in Donetsk last year. The son studied in a machine -building, he could not finish one course. In March, he received a summons to the National Guard, but he had no desire to go there, and I also did not want to. Because we all know that the boys are called there and immediately thrown literally into hot spots. Although they have no military training. Therefore, the question arose about moving.

We did not wait until they began to bomb us. Aircraft, helicopters began to fly over us, and this was enough. The brother suggested shelter for a while of the riots. He has been a Russian citizen for more than 20 years, lives in the Moscow Region. Now it helps us, rents housing for us.

My daughter and son arrived in March, and I myself am a little later. The eldest daughter remained in Artemovsk. Artemovsk is located north of Debaltsev, this is closer to Kharkov. There is now a national guard. There are no military operations, only sometimes explosions are heard. So she lives and works there. Well, our grandmother lives there.

We did not wait until they began to bomb us.

In Debaltsevoy we have an apartment. When she left, she gave the keys to her friends and said that they could use my apartment at their discretion. Now five refugees live in my house. Although not so far they ran away. God forbid that they could really hide there, so that my house is a refuge for people and, perhaps, could save them. Now there is a difficult situation, hosts, bombing. The same “boiler” is located directly on the territory of Debaltsev.

What is happening in Europe, and what they are trying to impose now the whole country is far from me. Well, at least the fact that Europe for same -sex marriages. I definitely don't like this. The Bible says that at one time God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Personally, this only one turns me away from the European Union.

And then, if you read this declaration itself, on the basis of which Ukraine can be included in the European Union, then in this declaration there are continuous obligations. That is, you have absolutely some zero rights. It is clear that I do not want my children to be literally hostages. I gave birth to them for a free life. Now they have matured now, and each of them will choose his path. And even if one of them decides to create a one-sex marriage, then I want it to be his personal decision, and not because the country decided that this is normal and correct. And then the fact that the production that exist in Ukraine should be closed because of this declaration. That is, there is no production, and we should receive products from Europe. We can go to work in Europe for pennies. And our own light industry is closed with us, we cannot open some enterprises to develop, and the like.

War is the most profitable solution to simply remove people from this territory.

When information was opened that the Donetsk region should literally be erased from the face of the earth only because they found shale gas, then you just draw conclusions. You understand that war is the most profitable solution to just remove people from this territory. Here Slavyansk was bombed. They say that there are the most easily accessible shale deposits. It gets scary. If all this is agreed with the government of the country, then, of course, I do not want to live under this rule.

My mother is on the side of Kyiv. He calls us Christ -seller. Somehow she accepted all this with hostility. Although she has always been a very reasonable person, and this aggression, it is not clear on what is based on, scares us. It’s hard for us to communicate. Although it is clear that we miss, from time to time we call up, and it is clear that we love her very much, because everyone has one mother. But the topic of war is better not to touch at all. It feels that the information that the Ukrainian security forces give out is distinguished by some special aggression.

Personally, my attitude to the situation is based only on the fact that I know that the media is provided to me. And I am trying to occupy some neutral position, but because of the lawlessness that is happening there, it is very difficult. I am more inclined to ensure that the Donbass and Lugansk really separate from Ukraine and be Little Russia. Better so. Because those rules imposed by Kyiv are simply incomprehensible and unacceptable for many.

However, it is still difficult to decide on whose side you are. Even from conversations, I hear that the Deenarovites do not always behave beautifully. Now, to be honest, I just want peace. I would thank the one who would make this world. And if you fight, then, as in Napoleonic times, we went out onto the field, beat each other and left people. People want to live, give birth to children, just meet, communicate normally. No one at all expected that this could happen with us. They made repairs, bought cars, everything is everywhere.

Refugee status is very humiliating.

I maintain contact with loved ones. In some areas there really is no connection, because cities and villages are literally erased from the face of the earth. Where we live, there is a telephone connection. Although the connection itself is weak, but nevertheless you can get through. And, of course, the Internet. With our daughter and sister, we constantly communicate only via the Internet. I will find out the news from friends, watch TV. In fact, all this is hard. One thing on TV, but you want it, you don’t want to - you go on the Internet, you dig there and sometimes you find terrible things. There is simply no strength. This is real emotional burnout, such an overvoltage. I really need doctors and good drugs. I started serious insomnia and other problems associated with the nervous system. Therefore, I make myself just not to watch anything. But still it is necessary, because there are relatives, the eldest daughter.

Nobody believes in the declared truce. Even my mother, who is on the other side of the conflict, also does not believe. It is strange: they see perfectly well that their leader, the president of the country, says one thing, but does something completely different. Now, during a truce, my daughter told me that new weapons and troops were being pulled towards Artemovsk towards Debaltsev. Not only was the National Guard there, and now there is still a new group of the military.

When we entered Russia, we did not receive refugee status, but simply went to visit my brother. Therefore, I work unofficially, but in my specialty. In two work, two in two. The first two days I work in a private studio, and for the second two days they took me on, let’s say, a mini-factory. In unofficial work, there are minuses. I understand that my employer is at risk, and if an accident happens to me suddenly, I understand perfectly well that no one will be responsible for me. I will have to be treated for my own funds. Nevertheless, I am grateful for the fact that even under such conditions they just hired me, that they give me the opportunity to earn a living. Now I can’t say anything about plans for the future. They lived a day, and good. We are waiting for the order, and I still hope to return home.

Russians treat me completely differently. There are people who do not care, but there are those who treat sympathy. There is no special assistance, but in general I am not very good and complain. Sometimes I just want to keep silent. I do not want to spread that I am a refugee. Because refugee status is always very humiliating. That is, when the conversation comes to Ukraine, then I can express something. In general, I try not to advertise.