Ukrainian help employee stated his folks now “know the value” of freedom after visiting Ukraine’s worst-hit “ghost cities” and reflecting on six months of struggle with Russia.
By way of Twitter, Dimko Zhluktenko has raised greater than 250,000 US {dollars} (round £213,000) value of army gear for the Ukrainian military and organised the supply of hundreds of toys to refugee youngsters arriving in Lviv, western Ukraine.
Mr Zhluktenko, 23, has not but been drafted into the army however not too long ago visited Kharkiv and the contested Donbas area in japanese Ukraine to see associates preventing on the entrance line forward of his nation’s Independence Day on Wednesday.
“It’s devastating seeing the entire locations both destroyed, bombed, or simply empty,” he informed the PA information company.
“It’s empty for good motive as a result of individuals are afraid.
“However it’s devastating (to see) ghost cities… It form of jogged my memory of Chernobyl.
“Like Kramatorsk, which used to (have) a inhabitants of 150,000… I went there per week and a half in the past and it’s actually empty.”
Whereas he stated it was “nice” to reunite with associates, Mr Zhluktenko admitted it was arduous to see them put their lives in danger.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has killed 9,000 Ukrainian troopers and 5,587 civilians, based on a Ukrainian army chief and statistics from the UN.
“It’s f***** as much as know that your pals, your classmates, are preventing on the entrance traces and so they’re at a lethal threat of being killed by artillery rounds or no matter else,” he stated.
“I do know they’re doing the precise factor, and I completely help them doing so.
“Our life is dependent upon it… What’s at stake proper now on this struggle is our nation, our existence, our independence.”
He additionally described the same old “parades, singing, and live shows” that happen in main Ukrainian cities for his or her Independence Day on August 24.
Although there won’t be the identical mass celebration on Wednesday, Mr Zhluktenko stated Ukrainians now perceive “the value” of that freedom.
“Individuals are (usually) having enjoyable and celebrating that we’re free,” he defined.
“And we all know the value of that.
Folks see with their very own eyes that independence or freedom is not one thing you are taking with no consideration, it is one thing that Ukrainians are preventing for.
“It’s the struggle for our independence so you will worth that.
“It’s being highlighted day-after-day – folks see with their very own eyes that independence or freedom isn’t one thing you are taking with no consideration, it’s one thing that Ukrainians are preventing for.”
Mr Zhluktenko contrasted life on the entrance traces with the day-after-day in Lviv, the place he’s at the moment based mostly.
“It’s so beautiful right here, individuals are ingesting their espresso and iced matcha lattes – actual civilised life,” he stated.
“It’s nice to see as a result of that’s precisely what Ukraine is preventing for, for a peaceable life.
“To have the ability to be right here and sit in my automotive peacefully… with out the chance of being killed by a shell.”
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