This year started with worries about the possible escalation of the war in Ukraine, which then changed me forever with its new cruel, meaningless, and malicious turn in February.

It started for me in 2014 when my beautiful birth city was violently turned into a military grey zone. And in 2022, Russian Federation was bombing all cities, letting its brutal army commit atrocities on Ukrainian land, one war crime after another, killing, kidnapping, raping, expelling, and terrorizing my people.

I could not drive for the first days of the invasion, I was shaking and could barely see. I was crying and shouting into the void every morning for the first weeks or months. I had no expectations to feel joy ever again. I considered to go fighting if needed (I could shoot well in military training long ago). I tried doing some helpful things, primarily with money for medical help to soldiers. To save my own sanity, I continued to study full time, 12 units with labs and exhibits, and the people around me kept me afloat just by their presence and kindness (thank you, everyone).

By the mid-Summer, I finally saw the way to liberation - hopefully of Donetsk as well - and to victory.