Dear Magefan customers,
It's been a month since all world faced a terror later sworn to not happen again — War!
It's been a month since all Ukrainians woke up in a new reality where air raid sirens go off several times a day bringing uncertainty and fear of being bombed.
It's been a month during which hiding in bomb shelters and basements became more often than walking outside. The unprovoked aggression towards our country justified by a dictatorship maniac takes the lives of innocent people.
Though there is plenty of information around, we'd like to share our thoughts and feeling about these horrifying days Ukrainians are defending the world's right to freedom and peace.
How Did Ukraine Change?
Everything changed when russian "peacekeepers" came to "save" the Ukrainian nation from imaginary nazis and fascists. And they did succeed, if we can call it so, in "saving" us from a steady supply of essential items like water, food and medicine, cosy homes, beautiful squares, parks, and playgrounds, but, most importantly, from living our lives happily.
Here are some terrible images of what our beloved Ukraine has turned into thanks to the russian "saving mission".
Statistics
Regardless of how terrible these images might seem, they don't convey the catastrophe enough. Not until you look at the numbers.
That's the scale of the tragedy: during this month 148 children have died, and 232 children have been wounded. Children could live their beautiful and peaceful lives if russian soldiers didn't come and take them. (the information was taken from the Prosecutor General of Ukraine Office website).
How Do We Feel?
It's been a hard month for all of us, and though our team keeps working we can't but do everything we can to help.
Our team decided to share some thoughts on how it's been going for us to help you understand how we feel.
“It was a day when all plans and dreams fell apart”
I would never wish anyone to wake up to the sound of air raid siren and read - “WAR” on the phone. I wouldn't say I panicked, but rather felt afraid for my relatives and friends.
So I was on the phone all morning getting in touch with relatives, trying to find out how they were doing and comfort them if necessary. It was a day when all plans and dreams felt apart and uncertainty about the future appeared.
But we try to find something positive in this negative situation, these past days my neighbours and I became more close, and instead of old dreams there appeared a new one: Victory of Ukraine!
Sergiy
“...searching for a bomb shelter in complete darkness and hours of waiting”
I think most people immediately check social media when they wake up and scroll through posts and videos for 10-15 minutes just not to fall asleep again. On February 24, 1 second and 1 post was enough. Then panic … thoughts on a further plan of action.
During the first few hours there was little information, so we decided to stock up on food, drinking water and finally prepare a go-bag and tape the windows. It took only 4 hours - huge traffic jams on the streets, plenty of confused people with their belongings, mobile communication issues, empty drinking water machines and supermarket shelves, up to 40 people in every queue to the pharmacies, ATMs and banks.
The first air raid siren at night - I never thought my wife could get ready in less than 5 minutes. Then searching for a bomb shelter in complete darkness and hours of waiting ... After that night, my wife and I decided to move to a safe and quiet place.
The first week was about monitoring news 24/7, supporting Ukrainian Armed Forces, and performing DDoS attacks on hostile information resources.
A month ago, my YouTube recommendations consisted of videos on technology and fitness. Now it's news, and video instructions on how to use ak-74, javelin, stinger, nlaw, rpg-7, grenade and everything our army is equipped with. That’s how the first month of war passed for me, and now I try to work, I am waiting for our victory.
Bohdan B.
“...3 powerful explosions, so strong that the windows almost cracked”
On a Thursday morning, February 24, I got a call, picked up the phone, understood that it was Igor, our CEO, calling. I accepted the call and found out the news from Igor - Russia declared war on Ukraine. The first thought was - what do you mean, the war?
Though there were signs of Russia planning to attack before the war, I still could not believe that someone in 2022 could begin a full-scale invasion of a sovereign country. For me the war was a relic of the past, something distant, in the past. But unfortunately, nowadays there are such savages as the president of the russian federation.
After I hang up, I immediately called my grandmother, who told me that they heard 3 powerful explosions, so strong that the windows almost cracked (it was because the house is located close to the military base - 15 km away).
The most terrific thought crossed my mind. What if the rocket went off course for some 15 km towards my home?
The same day I came home. The first days of the war were very difficult psychologically because you didn’t know when and where it could hit, due to constant bombings of different parts of Ukraine. But it became easier, because firstly - you can get used to everything, even these terrible events, secondly - you see that the “2nd army of the world” could not conquer Ukraine in a couple of days, as its chief commanders might have imagined in their wicked fantasies, but also incurs constant and great losses.
And now more than 4 weeks of the war, 4 weeks of air raid sirens, 4 weeks of the bombing of civilians and 4 weeks of fierce fighting have passed. All this time, my closest ones and I have been doing everything possible to hasten the victory, and I'm sure it's around the corner.
Denys
"it was unclear how events could unfold"
On the first day, it was unbelievable that the russians dared to start a war with Ukraine. The next two or three days were psychologically difficult, it was unclear how events could unfold. But Ukrainians showed how bravely and frantically we can defend our land. I believe in our victory.
Yuriy
"It was the longest and most horrible day of my life"
On Thursday, February 24, I woke up at 06:16, my brother-in-law was calling. It was still dark outside. He asked me if I had already seen the news. I looked at my watch and realized that something terrible had happened. I asked what happened and heard - "It started". After these words everything was clear. My wife felt that something was wrong and also woke up, asked me who called and why. I didn't quite know how to tell her. At that moment, my throat refused to make any sounds, the voice was trembling. We woke up in a new world.
Then calling relatives and delivering the news, not simple words to tell. I began to tape the windows, it was a kind of morning meditation, which helped to calm down a bit. I don't remember if we had breakfast, I hardly ate for the next three days, I couldn’t eat anything.
It was the longest and most horrible day of my life, which felt like a whole week has passed.
Ihor V.
"I woke up and hoped it was just a horrible dream"
One morning changed everything. In the morning my brother called me and said the war had started. It seemed like a dream, I couldn't believe it. The news constantly whipped up the tension. Feeling worse, my heart was pounding. Every next morning I woke up and hoped it was just a horrible dream. Air raid sirens went off more and more often. I hope it will end soon.
Ihor M.
"...getting to the basement in 5 minutes with my sleepy daughter"
The morning of February 24 began with the horrible news that the war began. Shock and confusion. While I was quickly packing our bags, my 4 yo daughter was sleeping soundly in her bed, she didn't it know yet that she wouldn't go to kindergarten that day.
I will never forget the first sound of the air raid siren, it seems to "drill" your whole body. The first week was full of constant night sirens and getting to the basement in 5 minutes with my sleepy daughter. Every time in the basement, she woke up crying in fear and not understanding why she was there but not in her warm bed. Then the endless stream of terrible news.
Two weeks after the war began, in my family we made the hard decision to move with my daughter to another country for her safety, meaning to say goodbye to my husband and my home. According to UNICEF statistics, during the last month, almost 3,5 million Ukrainians fled to other countries, in most cases women and children.
In a month we became different, all Ukrainians. I believe in our victory over evil. Ukraine will win! Glory to the Ukrainian people!
Elena
"it is a conscious dream that you can’t wake up from"
Our lives have changed since February 24, 2022. We are stuck in a state of being detached from our normal life, it is a conscious dream that you can’t wake up from.
Constant air raid sirens keep us tense and nervous. During the air raid sirens, adults and children hide in basements and bomb shelters. It happens day and night.
Thanks to our armed forces, our city is safe now and has become a shelter for many refugees and their pets. It is striking that people save pets fleeing bombs.
Locals help refugees with housing, food and clothing. There is also a lot of help from our diaspora, as well as from other countries that support us. We are all very grateful. We are all doing everything we can to win.
This is the government and the military and civilians and all those who are with us. Together we will win! There is no doubt about that. Thank you to everyone who supports us.
F*uck Putin!
Viktor
How You Can Help?
1. If you have not yet joined the pro-Ukrainian rallies and events in your cities, please join them.
2. Donate to a non-governmental charity fund “Come back alive” that has been supporting our soldiers for 8 years (from the beginning of the Russian invasion in 2014)’
3. Donate to a non-governmental charity fund “Hospitallers”, they’ve created a medical battalion that works directly on the front line.
4. Donate to our local Ternopil volunteers.
5. Donate to Ukraine’s Armed Forces (National Bank of Ukraine account).
6. You can find and support more organizations on the StandwithUkraine and SaveUkraine websites.
7. Share this information with your friends.
We are strong. Stand with Ukraine!
