Before the full-scale invasion, Valery’s life in his native Mykolaiv was calm and happy: without worries, rockets, and constant expectation of danger. However, February 2022 turned his city into a frontline shield. Confronting fear, painful dilemmas during shelling, and the path to Uzhhorod is a story about finding safety and support.
"It Began": the disturbing suitcases that had to be unpacked
The war broke out in Valery’s house around 3 a.m. His mother ran into the room where he and his brother were sleeping and said just one sentence: “It’s started.”
The family had felt the tension in the air the day before, so the day before the invasion, they packed “anxiety bags.” Ironically, however, they didn’t need these things in the first few days.
| The consequences of Russian attacks on Mykolaiv. Photo: UKRINFORM
"Then, on the first or second day of the war, we simply unpacked these packages and stayed in Mykolaiv for the first two weeks. We didn't expect such a scale and, in fact, we weren't ready for it," the guy recalls.
Under artillery fire: why the family abandoned the basement
That spring, Nikolaev became a city that held back the enemy in the south. Before the liberation of Kherson, the front was so close that enemy artillery could reach the city. Every night turned into a test of loud explosions.
It was then that Valery realized the destructive power of Russian weapons from his own experience: "At that moment I understood why the Grad system has such a name. It really sounds like hail, only much stronger and more terrible."
| A Russian missile hits the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration building on March 29, 2022. Photo: UKRINFORM
The shelling was so intense that the family seriously considered hiding in the basement. However, after weighing all the risks, they made a difficult and terrifying decision to stay in the apartment.
“We were very scared. But after reading other people’s stories, we realized that the basement was not the best option. There were cases when people got stuck under the rubble in their own basements after the shelling. So we decided to stay home. We thought: if something comes, we will try to somehow get out from under the rubble of the apartment.”
From Odessa "Shaheeds" to Lviv Thunderstorm
After two weeks of constant artillery attacks, Valery left for Odessa. He stayed there for a month, resuming his studies in a distance format. However, there was no peace there either - the first night in Odessa met the young man with anxiety and attacks from the "shaheeds".
The next stop was the Lviv region. It was there that the psychological imprint of the war, familiar to many Ukrainians, manifested itself.
| Thunderstorm in Lviv on June 23, 2023. Photo: Volyn News Service
“I remember that in the first days there was a strong storm. And since we had just left the combat zone, we thought it was an incoming attack. We even asked the locals if it was an explosion. They explained to us that it was just a thunderstorm,” Valeriy shares.
Later, he returned to Odessa again, and then to his native Mykolaiv, where, unfortunately, the shelling did not stop after his return.
Choosing safety: Uzhhorod and new friends
After graduating from school in Mykolaiv, Valery set himself a clear goal – to choose the safest city in Ukraine for further studies. He chose between Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv and Uzhhorod.
The decision fell on Transcarpathia. Uzhhorod attracted the guy not only with its safety (missiles did not reach here, like other Western cities), but also with a cozy atmosphere. The small city turned out to be an ideal place to restore the nervous system, and Uzhhorod National University (UzhNU) provided an opportunity to get a quality education.
However, the most important factor in successful adaptation was people. "The people who helped me a lot were my classmates. It was more fun and easier with them, they accepted me as one of their own. I am very grateful to them for that," the student says.
Looking back on his journey, Valery admits that he experienced a lot of fear and even tears. He would have wished for his then self to trust God more and worry less. And to all young people who are currently going through similar trials, the guy gives one important piece of advice: “Look for people who will support you. Those who will help you survive this experience and adapt to a new environment.”