Inna Blahonravina fled Ukraine with her kids. When she made it to Germany, she worked to evacuate the rest of her family. “A bomb doesn’t care if you support Putin or Zelensky,” she told her pro-Russian in-laws, urging them to leave Kyiv.
Within two weeks of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, millions of people had decided to flee the country. Russian forces had killed hundreds of civilians, and missiles had destroyed schools, homes, and hospitals. Ukrainians who chose to leave—after a nearby explosion, or a panicked message from a relative—carried only a bag or two each, crammed with necessities such as warm clothes and phone chargers. Many refugees also brought their cats. Ukrainians are crazy about cats.
Pavlo started the engine. The man placed his hand on the glass. The woman placed her palm on the other side of the windowpane. The man removed his hand as the bus drove off. After a few yards, some pedestrians walked in front of the bus, forcing it to stop. The man ran to catch up with the bus and waved. The woman waved back, as did the older girl, but the younger one was facing the other way and missed the moment.
In 1991, the U.S.S.R. collapsed, and Kharkiv became part of an independent Ukraine. Svetlana did not celebrate these events. In a recent conversation, she told me, “We could not imagine ourselves without Russia. We might have had independence on paper, but, in truth, we did not have it—nor did we want it.” She viewed Russia as superior to other countries. Inna saw little evidence for this: their life in the Soviet Union had been lean, with Svetlana paid meagrely for her medical work.
Maksym Blahonravin, in Mukachevo. When his wife and children fled Ukraine, he remained in the country. His work, which involves protecting the domains of government Web sites from hackers, is considered part of the war effort.In 2002, Maksym’s agency posted him to Kyiv, and Inna soon joined him there, working for an Internet-service provider. They rented a cheap apartment and saved money for vacations to places like Georgia and Azerbaijan; they also travelled within Ukraine.
Inna argued with her mother about this volunteer work. She recalled, “My mom was saying, ‘What are you doing? Don’t get into politics. It’s not your world.’ It was the first time in my life that I told her to shut up.” Inna discovered that she loved open-water swimming. She entered a three-kilometre race in the Dnieper River and two eight-kilometre races in the Black Sea. Within two years of taking up the sport, she was one of the best swimmers of her age in Kyiv. She was excited to realize her athletic potential, but swimming also fed a rising sense of independence—even rebelliousness. “I have always been a good girl,” she said. “Only in my forties have I not been such a good girl all the time.
The next morning, Russian troops entered Sumy, and many other parts of Ukraine. Inna and Maksym tried to stay calm, but it wasn’t easy: a battle broke out at an airbase just outside Kyiv. The government announced plans to distribute weapons to civilians.
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