27 February. Day 4
It’s becoming obvious that we’re not fighting against the country, but against a terrorist organization like ISIS. Unable to inflict military defeats, the enemy bombs villages, schools, kindergartens and shoots at civilian buses. It is rather a war of worldviews. Don’t blame Putin for everything, he’s not the one shooting guns. Now we are being filled with this shit. But we should treat it as a plumber treats a clogged toilet. It seems that the Israeli model will be relevant: going to war like going to work and going to work like going to war. I’m almost certain that this will go on for a while. There was no quick defeat, but there will be no quick victory.
In Mariupol, two problems that needed to be solved long ago have escalated again. It already became clear back in 2014-2015, that the city may face a shortage of drinking water and bread. What comes from the tap is only good to water the garden. Therefore everyone depends on the tanks with drinking water in pharmacies and small shops. Most small businesses have currently closed, and people with empty water jugs roam the streets. Mini-bakeries are also closed. The bread plant has long been in ruins. The tenth-largest city in Ukraine is unable to provide itself with bread and water.
In the morning, N. went home with her family but returned almost immediately. As soon as they came by their apartment, the territory of TTU (tram and trolleybus department), which is right beside their windows, was heavily shelled. N.’s husband went to the railway station to get information about the evacuation train to Lviv. He is an Ecuadorian citizen and his consulate has promised to help him evacuate abroad. It seems that trains were still running yesterday, but the russians cut off connections in the Volnovakha area. So looks like the three of them will stay with us.
I'm worried there is no decent shelter. I am 100% sure that it will be needed.
Some businessman bought out a basement, in my apartment building, for a store. He, however, seems to have disappeared. The lock was knocked off, people brought palettes and a few carpets. There are basically no doors, no lights and no backup exits - neither can you sit down nor lie down, but better than nothing.
The left bank is being completely destroyed. Grad MLRSs are being launched from the early morning, and shelling goes on for up to 10-15 minutes. Short breaks and then it goes on again. People are being evacuated from the Skhidne and Sartana. Our three dormitories near the market were filled with residents of Sartana. They are easy to recognize - with empty eyes, some bandaged, some covered in soot.
Residents of the village of Zakhidne sent a photo of how they’re preparing Molotov cocktails. Well done! But I’m not sure if they will come in handy, because it seems that the artillery will decide everything. I have no oil or gasoline in my garage. Except in the gas tank. I decided that draining the tank for cocktails was stupid. In the evening there were rumors that bombers were flying from Yeysk to Mariupol and light masking should be used. The street lights went out. Soon turned on again. What, the bombers are not flying anymore?
Shock! Russian troops captured Berdyansk without resistance, no one defended the city! How to understand it?! No official reaction was released. The mayor is doing good as always.
Government channels broadcast about the fighting near Melitopol. Mariupol is in trouble. We may be surrounded in the coming days!
28 February. Day 5
It seems that combats have already begun on the western outskirts, perhaps somewhere near the Agrobase. Mariupol falls into the ring. And there is again no official information on whether anything is being done to avoid surroundings. This silence is terrible. Even a military "expert" like me understands that the surrounding is almost always a defeat. I know that all resources go on defending Kyiv because that is where the fate of the whole country is decided. But we are falling into a deadly trap, and this feeling dominates.
The Internet is working poorly, the mobile connection is also unstable, and it’s getting harder and harder to get any information. In the morning I wanted to donate blood. I got V.D. involved, even found a donor book. It had to be mine 41 times. As soon as I opened the garage, V.D. called and said that it was better not to go in that direction now. V.D. is at the Civil Defense Headquarters, they received a danger alert. According to social media, the enemy’s RSG is around the 17th district. Yes, I already hear explosions from that side. I'm coming back home. I'll try tomorrow. The traffic lights were turned off.
Finally, the shelter from the official list under the neighboring house is open. Came by to have a look. This is a large basement throughout the house. There used to be a shop warehouse here. Now, Supermarket ATB is above it. In the basement all sorts of junk, wooden window frames, a lot of old carpets. That's good, we will lay it on the concrete floor. Everything is covered with a layer of dust. The basement consists of several large rooms, relatively warm, decent doors, it is possible to equip a toilet, there is access to communications. I helped to connect electricity and connected sockets. A concrete parapet 40-50 cm high stretches along the perimeter of the two rooms. You can sit on it and even arrange places to sleep. People brought their mats and blankets. Compared to the basement of our house, this is just a five-star hotel.
Before it got dark, I went to see my grandfather. I called my brother on the way. His life depends on the medication, and he understands what a vulnerable situation he found himself in. Brother is as always in a good mood, despite everything. But his humor got darker than usual.
The area of AC-2 (a bus station) is tightly barricaded. Myru Avenue in the area of Slavutych Market and ATB is littered with trucks, old buses, slag embankments and concrete blocks. Our military is everywhere. Is this where they expect the final battle for Mariupol to take place? They gathered in groups and talk as if nothing is happening. Citizens walk here and there freely through these positions. My grandpa was not at home. A neighbor said he was in a store near the house. I found him in the queue: small, gray-haired, with an empty water canister and a bag. He's wearing my old shabby leather jacket. I tell him that there is no water for sale anywhere, and he has to go to a humanitarian center, the one at a kindergarten on Zelinsky Street. We chatted a little. He wants to buy anything from food, he says he has food supplies. I gave him one loaf of bread, which I miraculously bought in the Dzerkalny supermarket.
In the evening the light went out, and with it, the water in the taps disappeared. Apparently, the pumping stations were left without electricity. We ran to the basement several times during the day. When the air raid sirens go off, it takes a while for N. to get ready with the child. There is not much sense in hiding like this. So we decided to spend the night at home. Even though it’s scary. The strikes are heard not only from the east but also from the western suburbs. Ukrainian authorities have begun negotiations with criminals. Ganapolsky rightly noted that defeat in this war could cause a wave of revanchism, becoming for Russia something like the First World War for Germany. There is a stalemate — we lose, even when we win. The task of the whole world now is to learn the lessons of history and make the political consequences for Russia similar to the consequences of the Second World War for Germany.
1 March. Day 6
The first day of spring. However, the weather is not like spring. We’re not lucky this year. I remember in 2017, at the end of February, it was already 10-15 degrees warm, and the grass was green all around. Today it is gloomy and cold. You have to wear everything you can. I heard the power supply has already been restored in some areas. The mayor heroically reports that repair work is underway. He looks as if he fixes those lines himself. There are rumors that he fled from Mariupol a long time ago. I asked acquaintances from the City Council. The reply: "He is in a secret bunker, the location of which is not disclosed." Looks like he really ran away. There is a video on social media where the head of Dniprorudny meets the occupiers' tanks. That's what a Mayor should be like.
Together with electricity, air raid sirens have also gone down. I always believed that these systems should be autonomous, because what is the point of them otherwise. I was wrong. Went for a walk, most shops are closed. Met A. from Terra Incognita theater. Was told that they arranged a shelter in their hall, with many people inside. A.L. stayed at home, in the center. Time feels strange. I photographed their play last week, but it feels like it was a long time ago, at least a few months ago. There is a lot of water and food left in N.’s apartment in MZhK (youth housing complex), I should go there as it gets more difficult to buy anything. The morning and day were more or less quiet. Shelling was heard from afar. We cooked food and stayed at home. After lunch, the strikes sounded closer and closer. The tension is growing. We are ready to run to the shelter at any moment.
Evening, almost dark. It struck very close, like never before. I ran out first, I see the door of the shelter closed, people standing next to it. How can you do that! I met neighbor S. at the staircase. He told me he drow his family to Terrasport’s shelter, as it is not clear who and when opens the basement here. He offered to take us there as well. I agreed, as there are no other options. It feels like it can even hit the house.
A hub for victims and refugees is working in Terrasport. Hundreds of people from Sartana, Skhidne and other devastated areas are housed in large gyms. Zheka, nicknamed Coach, is managing everything there. A middle-aged guy who worked here as a coach before the war. He gathered all the newcomers in the lobby to explain the rules. There is an improvised kitchen, showers, humanitarian aid from volunteers and even a guard. I and S. signed up on duty. But then it turned out the duty wasn’t for this night, but for the next one. Where will we be tomorrow?
A woman complains that red caviar on sandwiches is not real, but imitated! The atmosphere is depressing. Someone is silently looking at the wall, someone is crying out loud. There are a lot of children. In front of us is a grandmother with an absent look holding a baby. I have been watching them for some time. They sit very quietly and hardly move, like a sculpture. Her eyes are on me, but she sees nothing. It seems that they are just the two of them, this baby does not have a mother. We were allocated two mats in the last hall. I used to come to the gym with a football team in that same hall. I memorized motivational slogans on the walls. There is this feeling again that these are some false memories, phantom.
Жители Днепрорудного Запорожской области вместе с мэром вышли на дорогу from Charter Vimeo on Vimeo.
There is electricity, I plugged the phone to charge. S. says it was also restored in our area. Good news. We stood in line, took tea, and talked. The paradox of city life — we live in apartments across each other for several years and know almost nothing about one another. S. is from Donetsk. He had his own business. In 2014, everything went down, he moved to Mariupol and started doing the same thing from scratch. For several years he was promoting his business, it just started to work out, bought an apartment. And again the same! Will he be able to handle this path again? It seems that he himself doubts this very much. But a person in a hopeless situation can become a superman. There is no other choice.
We sleep in the basement gym. Warm, even stuffy. Too many people, no vacancies. The environment is toxic. Someone is constantly fighting, first in one corner, then in another. Some guy needs to listen to white noise to fall asleep. A TV was placed next to him. This caused a scandal. A woman shouts that she will soon go crazy. But everyone here has already gone crazy, so why shout? You don’t hear the sounds of explosions from above so, despite all this, you can relax here.
To be continued.