Nadin Hetman shares her experience of fleeing Ukraine to Luxembourg, and what made her return to her home country and city.

My name is Nadin Hetman. I am 23 years old. I was born and lived all my life in Poltava. On February 24, my life was put on hold when there was an announcement that the Russian Federation has invaded my country. I was forced to leave my home because of the threat to my life. I decided to start a new page of my life in incredible Luxembourg.  

The whole process of making documents took about 1 month. I received temporary protection status, a work permit and the opportunity to open a bank account. Since I am a professional translator, I had no difficulty finding a job. I got a job offer as a translator at the International Lyceum in Luxembourg for Ukrainian children. 

Having arrived in Luxembourg, I was overwhelmed by the kindness and sincerity of the locals. I met truly incredible people who supported me so much and helped me in every way. I lived with a host family. Jerome and Siyana became my family, and I am incredibly grateful to them. My stay in Luxembourg also allowed me to deepen my knowledge of culture and the Luxembourgish language, and I want to say thanks to all the locals. I felt at home, and I will never forget the kind and sincere hearts of the people I met in Luxembourg. 

Returning home

But I couldn’t stay in Luxembourg for more than two months, because I felt I had to help and support my homeland and my native city. A lot of volunteer work is required, and I couldn’t not be involved. I also felt the urgent need to inform other European citizens about the real situation in Ukraine, drawing on the words and experiences of volunteers who find themselves in the centre of this horror. 

Once I got back to Ukraine, I wanted to report on the experiences of those who had stayed behind. Being at the centre of a lot of international reporting, I decided to focus on Mariupol and its residents. 

Located on the northern shore of the Azov Sea, Mariupol has been isolated from the outside world since 2 March 2022 by the Russian armed forces that invaded Ukraine on 24 February. Since then, the city has been systematically destroyed by incessant bombing and heavy artillery shelling, and is now uninhabitable. The population, which has decreased from half a million to about 150,000, survives in the basements of apartment buildings and factories. 

Those I met

I would describe what is happening in Mariupol as genocide. There are people buried under the ruins… Some people who ask for my help say “we hear neighbours from the basement of destroyed houses, private buildings, knocking, begging to be released, but no heavy equipment, nothing, no one can rescue.” Many people who live in the ruined houses, under the debris, are dying of hunger and cold. A family with six children contacted me a few days ago, begging for help because their children are starving.  

Volodymyr, a volunteer, told me that "Mariupol is surrounded. People are being held hostage. The city is being shot at from almost four sides. Food is running out, people have no medicine, water. From what I know, who was able to call relatives, they drink from puddles. There is no water. Locals help each other. Communication is muffled, there is no light, no water, no heating. This is such a tragedy. I think it's like the Ukrainian Hiroshima.” 

Anna, a volunteer from Mariupol, said she managed to leave the city a week ago. She said that on the way she met her family, who left one day later. 

She noted that "people have survived hell," continuing to say that "If you have your own car,  there is only a 5% chance that you can leave the city, there must be a full tank of gasoline, as no one has it to get at least to Zaporizhzhya city. I have one reliable testimony about a woman who left and told how it was. There are several checkpoints, roads are mined, it's just dangerous to drive. You can get into battle, get under fire. They can just randomly strafe a car, why not?! Civilians are easy to shoot. And they still don't let men out. " 

The Russian military invasion of Ukraine has been going on since the morning of 24 February. Russia denies that it is a war of aggression against Ukraine on its territory and calls it a "special operation" aimed at "demilitarization and denazification." The Kremlin has previously said it will not touch civilians in Ukraine during its so-called "operation", but instead they shoot homes, hospitals, kindergartens, schools and other civilian infrastructure. 

Editor's note: Nadin's name has been changed to protect her identity. Other names have been edited for the same reason.