April 13, 2022
LVIV – The war effort is everywhere in Lviv.
The city, the largest in western Ukraine, is exploding with about 200,000 people displaced from other parts of the country since Russia invaded in late February. Some of its schools and theaters were turned into shelters to welcome new residents.
In the narrow streets, street musicians sing Ukrainian and foreign songs as usual, but now they write that half the money will be given to the Ukrainian military. Street music and bird song are regularly covered in air strikes.
The city miraculously survived World War II, but twice underwent air raids.
Lviv residents are in solidarity with the displaced Ukrainians. Many Ukrainians see this as a continuation of the long history of the struggle for freedom.
Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians came from abroad to help their country and join the military. The number of volunteers has already exceeded their current training and equipment capacity. Therefore, most people with military experience were called into service, while others were included on the reserve list. Men and women, young and old, left and right, people of all backgrounds and professions are fighting side by side.
Civilians do not sit down. Some of them are trained in basic terms of first aid and use of weapons. Others make nets for camouflage or loading and sort out humanitarian aid. People donated to private and public ventures to buy planes, cars, and other military equipment.
Volunteers were preparing trucks to be sent east to the war -torn areas. Volunteers from a variety of professions – managers, IT specialists, university professors, etc. – came together to explain the foreign aid cassettes sent by the Ukrainian diaspora and other supporters.
Supplies are plentiful, but in a country where nearly one in four citizens have left their homes, demand is still very high. The greatest need is for medicines, hygiene items or food and clothing only. Not to mention the soldiers ’protective equipment.
An displaced woman, Aide, is celebrating her birthday. Eidi, 48, is of Azerbaijani descent but has lived in Ukraine since she was 13. She was twice evicted from her home due to the Russian aggression.
In 2014, he and his family fled to Donetsk near the city of Kryvyi Rih when war broke out and the Ukrainian government lost control of the eastern part of the country. He worked there at a local hospital and served food to patients. Eidi’s daughter was killed in a bombing in 2014 and her son was abducted by Russian puppets to fight Ukraine. Eddie said he did not say anything about what he experienced there after he refused to fight his home country.
This year Eddie, his son and grandson were again forced to flee, this time to Lviv. They hope to go abroad after receiving the necessary documentation.
Like all war, this one carries sacrifice. The mourners in Lviv usually pay their last respects to the fallen warriors in the magnificent Baroque church of St. Peter and Paul in the garrison.
The number of soldiers and civilians killed in this unrelenting war is still unknown.The latest calculation is for civilian casualties The UN number is 4,521, although the actual number is likely to be higher.
Many people became homeless. The residential districts of Chernigov and Kharkov were the first targets of the massive bombing. Some cities, such as Volnovakha and besieged Mariupol, are almost non -existent. Kiev also has some damaged buildings, but has suffered the most attacks in its suburbs. Bucha, Irpin, Hostomel, and Borodyanka have become famous around the world for their theft, destruction and brutality, Russian troops say.
The world has collapsed for millions of Ukrainians. They are now making every effort to win this war and restore peace.
Photo Director: Christy Havranek, Senior Photo Editor: Chris McGonigall, Deputy Political Editor: Ellis Foley, Copy Editor: Gillian Capevel
Source: Huffpost
