‘The old man dug a dugout where both he and his wife hid themselves during heavy shelling…’ Father Vyacheslav Grinevich

The residents of the villages liberated from the occupation in Zhytomyr Oblast are gradually returning home. They are clearing cartridge cases off their backyards and preparing to start seeds in their gardens. Sister Francisca Tumanevich, coordinator of the Caritas-Spes Zhytomyr humanitarian team says that these villages have not been heavily damaged. That’s why the residents are coming back and trying to restore their normal life as much as it’s possible for the time being.

One local villager is writing down the names of the defenders and volunteers who help them survive on a wallpaper scrap taken from his home. The Caritas-Spes Mission has also put down a marking on this canvas. After the victory, it will be exhibited in the village club.

Father Vyacheslav Grinevich, executive director of Caritas-Spes Ukraine, said that the people had to save their lives from shelling in self-made hideouts. ‘I was most surprised by a story of an elderly couple who was left alone in the vortex of war. The old man dug a dugout where both he and his wife hid themselves during heavy shelling… It’s hard to imagine what these people have come through’, shared Father his opinions on that, continuing to convey food packages across the liberated villages together with his team.

Photo credit: Francisca Tumanevich