Fleeing The Russians!

“Are you alright Sveta?” Mum asked with a worried look. Sergy asked innocently, “What did you do Sveta?” She nodded silently to her Mum’s question but didn’t bother answering Sergy. Gazing out the half-broken window, Dad explained “A Russian bomb or missile must have hit the next-door block of flats, just across from your window. Look over there at all the damage!” There was an enormous black hole in the side of that building and the cold, early morning air was now filled with further wailing and muffled screams. Sergy began to sob loudly. Then all the family, in their shock and feelings of helplessness, had a long group hug. They all tried to comfort 5-year-old Sergy who hadn’t stopped crying and Patch, their terrier dog, who continued his urgent barking. Sadly, they knew that this type of disaster was becoming more and more common in their once peaceful town, in the north eastern part of Ukraine. In the last few weeks, the sound of explosions and gunshots in the distance had been becoming louder and louder, closer and closer. At first, everybody had tried to ignore it and keep up their normal daily activities. At 13, Sveta had always enjoyed a happy life. Her parents both had good jobs and their flat was always warm and snug. She loved school and had some great friends, with whom she often enjoyed playing around in the snow each winter. However, Sveta and Sergy already had some idea that their quiet, peaceful life was over. They were now keenly aware that their parents with worried looks, would often try to secretly listen to the news on their TV or radio during the day. Then they would talk about it away from the children’s ears, always in hushed voices. Their faces now often looked concerned and anxious, especially when they listened to the President’s daily TV address to the nation. Mum, Lena, kept working from home as a dressmaker, but was taking on lots of extra orders to try and save some extra money – just in case…. Dad, Ivan, still left daily for his work as an engineer at the local steel plant. However, he knew that his days there were probably numbered. Soon it was most likely he would be called upon to join up with the local Ukrainian army volunteers. Their job was to be on guard and defend their town from Russian attacks and any further advances of the Russian army. The children were still both attending school on the day Sveta’s windows were broken. The teachers had deliberately tried to not mention too much about the war with Russia, so the kids would not become too worried. However, now it seemed that the war had arrived in Sveta’s family’s back yard. Like other schools in the war zones, their local school would probably now start daily bomb or air raid drills for the children, just in case….. Then everyone would know what to do immediately, if a missile ever directly hit the school…. After the bombing of the neighbours’ building, the response was similar to what had happened already in many parts of Ukraine. School attendances suddenly dropped in their area. Some parents no longer permitted their children to walk to school. Many were just kept at home to study on alone. Some men quickly despatched their wives and children to the railway station, so they could leave on the next train to travel to some foreign border and a peaceful, safer nation….. For how long, nobody knew. The government had forbidden the younger men to leave the country, so they all had to stay on and fight where necessary. But thousands of women and children were streaming out. Up to that dreadful morning, Sveta’s parents had not made any definite evacuation plans. They were just hoping that the conflict would soon blow over and that the advancing Russian troops would withdraw. This happened with the first major army advance to surround and conquer Kiev, the nation’s capital. It had been a fizzer and finally the Russian troops all pulled out. But now that appeared less likely in their home region, as the Russians had steadily moved forward and already taken over many towns just like theirs. Sudden changes were now around the corner and Sveta wasn’t quite sure what was going to happen next.