The Elder Child Survived - February 2nd 2024

February 2nd 2024

Yuriy tells the story of one of the recently exchanged Ukrainian prisoners who returns home from Russia and learns of his country's ongoing fight for freedom, only to discover that his wife and one of his daughters died in an attack.

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TRANSCRIPT: (Podbean app users can enjoy closed captions)

  It is February 2nd. 

Recently, a new exchange of prisoners with Russians took place. 207 Ukrainians returned home from the Russian prisons. All of them endured torture, humiliation, and inhuman treatment. And among them was a man for whom even the liberation did not end the horror. He fought in Mariupol where his wife also served. Both of them fell into captivity when Russians occupied the nearly destroyed city. After a few months, his wife was exchanged and returned to Ukraine. 

Living in Dnipro with her two daughters she awaited liberation of her husband. However, last year, a Russian missile hit their home. It was a large apartment building and the missile almost completely destroyed it. Dozens of people died a horrifying and terrible death. Among them were the former prisoner of war, and one of her daughters, the elder child survived but before her eyes, two of her closest family members perished. 

The third closest person, her father, remained in captivity and had no idea what was happening beyond the walls of his cell. This is a widespread Russian practice -they do not allow prisoners not only to contact the relatives, but also to receive any news. Many captives often do not know that Ukraine still exists and is still fighting that Russian plans to capture and fully subjugate the country have failed. Most find out about this just hours before the exchange when they are taken out of where cells and brought to the exchange point.

And now, imagine a person who spent a year and a half in captivity suddenly learning that Ukraine exists, that it is fighting, and moreover, that this person is returning home and will be free. This was probably the happiest day in the soldier's life. However, after arriving in Ukraine, he is told that his wife and one of his daughters died from a Russian missile. And his happiest day turns into the saddest. 

I simply cannot imagine what this person is feeling right now, what storms are tear his soul apart, what cures his hurling at the heads of Russian criminals.  

By the way, I vividly remember that when we bombed the house in Dnipro, the Russians claimed that there were no civilians there, only a foreign NATO mercenary headquarters. Russians always do this- everyone killed by way bullets, shells, and missiles is declared a terrorist and Nazi and a NATO mercenary. This is a rule if you hear Russians boasting about destroying a NATO headquarters know what it means that we have killed women and children again. There are no exceptions. Just as there are no NATO headquarters in Ukraine. Friends, as our country still realize on the support of foreign partners, I still very much need your support. I remind you that you can help me and my family with details provided in this episode description. Thank you.