Yevheniia Podobna: Heroic cities of Bucha, Irpin, Hostomel

There shouldn’t be this book at all. Because there shouldn’t have been this war at all. But on February 24, Ukraine woke up at dawn from the sounds of explosions, and a convoy of Russian militaryvehicles crashed our past life with their grousers. The war has become our new reality, and air alarms become our everyday life. Bucha and Irpin have ceased to be associated with forests, sanatoriums and children’s summer camps, with a hasteless life of the outskirts of the capital. Now, the very names of these cities are nailing with pain all those who have never even been there. But along with evil and pain, throughout the days of the war, in these frozen, frightened and bloodied cities, unprecedented heroism lived: soldiers, medical staff, rescuers, Territorial Defense fighters, citizens, everyone who helped, protected, rescued, and evacuated.

Occupation and fighting for Hostomel, Bucha and Irpin lasted about a month. But to describe everything that happened during this month, it will take decades, volumes and the work of many people. This is only the first line in the story of the Great Tragedy and the Great Heroism of three Ukrainian cities. Under this cover, there is only a small part of the stories that must be told, which should be known and remembered not only by Bucha,Irpin and Hostomel residents, but everyone has to know them.