Yulia Moskalenko

Yulia Moskalenko is 68 years old. Her life has not been easy, but she has gone through all the trials with dignity.

Mrs. Yulia was born in the village of Lisovka in Donetsk region into a large family — there were six children, and they all grew up accustomed to hard work from a young age.

After graduating from Donetsk University, she worked as a kindergarten teacher for almost 30 years, then changed her profession and spent the next 13 years working in the municipal service in Novohrodivka. The work was tough, and she suffered an injury on the job that still causes her pain and forces her to walk with a cane.

The war took away her chance to stay in her native home. First, she evacuated to Pokrovsk, and then in August 2024, she moved to the Rivne region. But the greatest pain for her is the uncertainty about the fate of her daughter, who stayed in the occupied city of Selydove. Yulia Mykhailivna has not been able to get in touch with her for a long time, and rumors about their destroyed home only increase her worry.

Mrs. Yulia’s husband suddenly passed away just before the war began.

“He was my support, with him, all of this would have been much easier to endure,” the woman says bitterly. But she finds comfort in her grandchildren, who managed to evacuate and constantly call her.

The shelter has become a second home for Ms. Yulia. “This is an amazing place, they treat me like family. They take care of me, help me with everything, I feel at home here,” the woman shares with joy.

She never stops dreaming about the day when the war will end, and she can hug her children and grandchildren again.