We wanted to dedicate March to telling positive stories of strong women. The world is moving faster than our plans, and now we have a different angle. We are here to tell you stories of brave Ukrainian women fighting to survive Europe’s largest armed conflict since World War II. These are first-hand accounts from three Ukrainian women (and employees) who face danger on a daily basis. To protect their identity, we will only mention their names.
Yuliia
Yuliia has been part of ‘s Customer Success team for over 4 years. His dedication and her excellent results fueled Yuliia’s growth within the company: since September she has been working as a Customer Success Training Specialist. However, the last few weeks changed her life when she found herself in the middle of a war zone. Yuliia lives in a reality controlled by defense sirens. Keeping your spirits up now is crucial to survival.
Life: regulated by the sound of sirens
“I can’t even say what my morning/daily routine is because it’s all lumped together in one place… Life revolves around mermaids these days. As soon as you hear them, you have up to 10 minutes to get to the nearest shelter. As far as I know, they start 10 minutes before a possible hit. I stay with friends, and our current best result is 5 minutes from deep sleep (if we can call it deep) to entering the shelter. At this point, almost every sound sounds like a distant siren. We even have an official city app where all the notifications appear along with sirens. The tricky part is that you really never know when the next alarm will occur and how long it will last. One of them caught us in the middle of breakfast, we had to leave our plates full and run away.”
Hiding in parking lots, basements and subways
“Shelters are usually very cold. Currently, I’m wearing a Black Friday sweater (the one with the astronaut). It keeps me warm. Most of the shelters are just basements, underground parking garages, and subway stations. I’ve already been to all kinds of hostels. The garage is probably the best option, since it has concrete floors, high ceilings, and (best of all) can be reached from our apartment. We didn’t need to go outside. We only take the stairs. My parents are less lucky: their nearest shelter is half flooded.
Keeping spirits up through humor and hope
“It will sound cliché, but our military and our president keep us hopeful. I honestly never expected that we could be so strong and determined. It is inspiring to see how united and relentless we are. Also, seeing the news about international support and sanctions, the sky is closing for the Russians in more and more countries. And, despite everything, maintaining a sense of humor. Lots of memes and sketches about Roma stealing a Russian tank, homeless people collecting bottles for Molotov cocktails, and an old man stealing a BMP car with his tractor. There is mental support from all over the world. People are standing up saying they are with us. And I really love for what they are doing. I don’t have to worry about work, I don’t ask myself “what if I lose my job if it lasts too long?”, because I know it won’t happen”.
katherine
Katerina, a young translator from Kyivan, never expected the war to happen. Beginning on February 24, Russian forces entered Ukraine and began wreaking havoc. But, the Ukrainians, all 44 million of them, kept their dignity intact as they fought fiercely against the invaders.
“There is no music, there is no morning coffee in third wave coffee shops, there are no dates or lunches, there are no movies or stand-up comedy. Smiles are rare. Women give birth in bunkers. Roads, houses, museums, universities are being destroyed. There is a great national awakening. It’s crazy, unstoppable and mind-blowing,” says Katerina.
Actions speak louder than words
Katerina managed to escape from kyiv and fled to a safer city where she can still help her country. For Ukrainians on the run, volunteering is the best way to help the resistance. They are making camouflage nets, distributing information and blocking hostile social media accounts. Katerina says that seeing the help of foreigners has certainly touched the hearts of all the people who fight for her country.
“Actions speak louder than words, especially today. I am grateful to all those people who have the guts and the clear mind to take action, speak out, welcome refugees and collect humanitarian aid. I am grateful to my team who have been actively helping since day one. There are no words to express how grateful I am to our military forces and every Ukrainian soul. There is an avalanche of emotions, but now is not the time for them. It’s time to take action, action towards victory.”
a temporary reality
‘I’m scared, but I’m calm. I will not let my emotions drive me crazy. My great-grandmother turned 90 this January and stayed in Vorzel, a town where an orphanage, civilian houses and a train station were destroyed. My mom and aunt left town two hours before the last bridge to my hometown was destroyed. My friends stayed in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Bucha, Irpin, Chernihiv. My stepfather evacuated my family and returned to Irpin, where missiles are destroying everything around me. For the sake of these people, I try not to let my emotions get the better of me. For friends, colleagues and family around the world, who are concerned, who support us and want to see us safe and sound. It is not an exaggeration. It’s not a dramatic touch. It is the reality in which WE TEMPORARILY LIVE. It will be over soon. There is no light at night (for security), but there is light in the heart of every Ukrainian. It unites us, it leads us towards freedom and justice”.
Olha
That Thursday, Olha was preparing for another day at , working as an SEO marketing assistant. The mood was excellent because she had tickets to a concert and game night was planned for Friday. Never happened. As Olha went about her morning routine, Russian missiles had already been launched at Ukraine, one of them hitting a military airport near where Olha lives.
Time means lost lives
“I must admit that I am lucky to live in one of the safest regions of Ukraine. Although saboteurs sometimes attack military installations here as well. Now we have a curfew. Airborne threat alarms go off several times a day, so we have to hide in bathrooms and bomb shelters. Civilians are still safe compared to other regions where the Russians attack people’s homes and civilian infrastructure. It is really hard to see how they destroy our cities and towns. I cry every time I see innocent people being killed, including children. They launch missiles at kindergartens, orphanages, residential buildings, hospitals, streets and squares, and fire at ambulances. The train stations are full of refugees. I know that our troops will not allow the Russian army to advance further. For the Russians, it’s just going back in the direction they came from. But it takes time. Unfortunately, time means lost lives. That’s why we ask our friends and partners to help us. Close the sky over Ukraine so we can act faster on the ground.”
Breaking the information gap
“We volunteer to help the army and the refugees. We are on the front lines of an information war where we spread real news, hoping to convince the Russians to stop this war. Unfortunately, most of them live in an information vacuum. They are told that Russia is fighting a Nazi Ukrainian government and that the Ukrainians are greeting the Russian army with smiles on their faces. Their news does not tell the truth that Russia attacked Ukraine or that the soldiers came here to kill and be killed. So that is what many Russians believe today. Many of them have decided to remain neutral, since they do not believe in anyone.
A war that no one anticipated
“There was a lot of talk that Russia would attack. But until the last moment, it was hard to believe that they would start a full-scale war against Ukraine. I mean, they declared war 8 years ago when their troops officially entered Crimea and a few days later they were unofficially sent to Donetsk and Luhansk. We were fighting in the eastern part of the Ukraine. But, we never dreamed that they would attack the whole country. It was the biggest mistake the Russian government has ever made because their actions had the opposite effect. Ukrainians have never felt as strong and united as today. And not only the Ukrainians. They have united the whole world. Today we all defend universal values: peace, freedom and human dignity.
Worldwide support
“I see how people in different cities of the world support Ukraine. I read tweets from other European countries and even from the United States, which is also supporting Ukraine through volunteering. I am aware of the foreigners who provide shelter to Ukrainian refugee women and their children. I am aware that financial, humanitarian and military aid is being sent to the Ukrainian people and sanctions are being imposed on Russia. I receive many messages of support and desire for help from my friends and colleagues from other countries. And I really feel the support. Everybody here does it. We are grateful. That’s what keeps our spirits high. All of the above and our sense of humor, which we do not lose even in the darkest moments»
Awake, strong and united
“I feel sad because we had to come to war for us to wake up… On the other hand, seeing how we all fight sincerely makes me very happy and gives me hope. We are fighting not only to protect our country from the occupiers, but also to protect European values, universal values and the world. Because we know it will never be a safe place if we don’t. So, I really hope that the rest of the world continues to support us. All people who share the truth. All the people who send us help. All the people who make their governments listen. Today it is important to make the right decisions. Believe me, there is no time to hesitate when the enemies come to your house. It’s best to keep them out of your backyard.
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None of us can fully understand the situation these women are going through. And this “temporary reality” will surely leave scars that will never heal. We thank Yuliia, Katerina and Olha for opening up and being optimistic about the future. We are proud of the strength, courage and persistence that these women radiate.
Let’s stay united…
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