Throughout this, my twelfth visit to Ukraine during the conflict, I will write a daily blog. I try to write in the moment, capturing my thoughts, my moods, my emotions. As I embark on these journeys, I never know quite what to expect; not daily life as we know it in the United Kingdom but daily life as they have come to know it in Ukraine. Please follow my journey as I try to share with you life in Ukraine as it is in October 2023.
I left home at 20:00 hrs; to date, my quickest time of 34 hours to Kyiv. Exactly one year ago today was my first visit to Kyiv. I arrived into Kyiv-Pasazhyrskyi station at 09:45 hrs, less than two hours after Putin began his barbaric attacks designed to destroy the nation’s infrastructure and break the will of the people; he palpably failed but another winter looms; this time, Mother Nature might not be so kind.
And now, I set out on my fifth visit to the capital, a journey of many parts; continuing existing projects and, doubtless, being led towards new ones; there is only so much our community can do. But, it’s very hard to turn your back when you see the suffering that destroys lives, mutilates children and leaves so many fearful for their futures.
Here, I will write a daily blog so you can follow my journey; I will take you behind the scenes and bring you stories of everyday life that the media fails to bring you; the torment, the torture, the trauma; I will share more of our projects with you.
Many people ask me how it is in Ukraine. You can’t put 594 days into a few sentences; as I say, this is my twelfth visit to Ukraine; no two days have been the same; some days are calm, some days are frightening; some days are happy, some days are sad; the days are blighted with horrific stories; yet, illuminated by acts of heroism. I can escape from this and return home; for the people of Ukraine, every day remains a living nightmare.
Sometimes, fate moves in a mysterious way. I just flicked to the BBC News; I watched a short reel from Adnan Elbursh, BBC Arabic’s reporter from Gaza City’s main hospital, Al Shifa; ‘I have seen things I can never unsee’. I share this; I have equally heard things I can never unhear. There are images I can share; there are images I won’t share for, would you really want to see the burnt, disfigured, and dismembered bodies as Russia tried to hide the truth of their atrocities in Bucha; would you really want to see children mutilated because they were in the right place but at the wrong time.
But, I will share some images you’d probably prefer not to see; I think this is correct for I want that you see how your incredible generosity continues to help in these dark moments. For some, this has become daily life in Europe in the twenty-first century; and now, not only in Ukraine.
I head to Gate 48, WizzAir W6 2218 to Budapest; medicine taken like a good boy; Leffe Blonde 6.6%; sleep beckons … … … please return to read more as my journey unfolds.
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