8-year-old Rostislav and his 13-year-old brother Ruslan spent New Year's Day 2023 in a cold, dark cellar to the sound of explosions. While the holiday chimes were ringing in moscow, enemy shells were hitting their village Shlyakhove.
Then the russians hit the kindergarten, and the debris flew all the way to the yard of the Luchytsky family from the Kherson region. The massive attack forced the couple, children and their guests to quickly descend underground. During those long hours, in the cold and fog, mother Olena hoped that the folk sign wouldn't be confirmed: "Where you meet the New Year, you will spend it there."
This is not the first time the Luchytsky family finds itself in dire danger. Before the liberation of Kherson Oblast, russian soldiers organized various kinds of provocations and didn't miss the opportunity to "make fun" of families and civilians, because they lived in a neighboring house. Almost every day, drunken russians roamed the streets and fired machine guns into the air above houses. Because of this, little Rostislav lived in constant fear and was afraid to go outside.
Once the russians approached his brother Ruslan with the question: "Where do the orcs live?". The mother immediately pressed her son to her so that he answered carefully, because the occupiers could beat the boy or send him to torture "in the basement".
When a shell hit the neighbors' house from the left bank, leaving nothing alive, the family made a final decision - they must seek salvation. Olena asked our team for help, because we had already offered the Luchytsky family shelters.
Our volunteers evacuated the family away from danger as quickly as possible. On the way, the boys distracted themselves from terrible memories by looking at "LifePack", rescue backpacks. And now they are in the Kyiv center "Hope and Recovery", where there is warmth and comfort, toys, many children, and most importantly - safety.
We really want Rostylav and Ruslan to welcome the next New Year with laughter, joy and peace of soul in a country free from the enemy.
Then the russians hit the kindergarten, and the debris flew all the way to the yard of the Luchytsky family from the Kherson region. The massive attack forced the couple, children and their guests to quickly descend underground. During those long hours, in the cold and fog, mother Olena hoped that the folk sign wouldn't be confirmed: "Where you meet the New Year, you will spend it there."
This is not the first time the Luchytsky family finds itself in dire danger. Before the liberation of Kherson Oblast, russian soldiers organized various kinds of provocations and didn't miss the opportunity to "make fun" of families and civilians, because they lived in a neighboring house. Almost every day, drunken russians roamed the streets and fired machine guns into the air above houses. Because of this, little Rostislav lived in constant fear and was afraid to go outside.
Once the russians approached his brother Ruslan with the question: "Where do the orcs live?". The mother immediately pressed her son to her so that he answered carefully, because the occupiers could beat the boy or send him to torture "in the basement".
When a shell hit the neighbors' house from the left bank, leaving nothing alive, the family made a final decision - they must seek salvation. Olena asked our team for help, because we had already offered the Luchytsky family shelters.
Our volunteers evacuated the family away from danger as quickly as possible. On the way, the boys distracted themselves from terrible memories by looking at "LifePack", rescue backpacks. And now they are in the Kyiv center "Hope and Recovery", where there is warmth and comfort, toys, many children, and most importantly - safety.
We really want Rostylav and Ruslan to welcome the next New Year with laughter, joy and peace of soul in a country free from the enemy.
