Donetsk residents – “it is as if we are in a train station, always waiting for something while living out of a suitcase" Part 1

For the last two years, the life of Donetsk residents has not exactly been merry, and not only because of the continuous military actions around Donetsk, reports Segodnya (Today). The present fear and desperation, the longing for the past and the obscure, unclear future – those are the main ingredients of the soul cocktail of the mining capital residents. No matter how hard the occupation authorities are trying to cheer up the disheartened people, no matter what celebrations they are coming up with or how diligently they are reporting daily on the “republic’s” fabulous progress – all is in vain.

The UN has recently produced a report on the state of things in the East Ukraine for the last year. It indicates that the military conflict’s impact on peaceful citizens has worsened during the last several months. “The feelings of desperation and isolation are building up, affecting those who live inside the conflict zone, especially in the territories controlled by the separatists. There is a terrible sensation of physical, political, social and economic isolation and abandonment among the huge number of people – more than three million in all – who are struggling to eke out a living in the conflict zone,” – said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein.

"The militants have morally destroyed the city and its residents"

Desperation is now a prevailing feeling for most of the residents living in the occupied territories of Donbas.

"We feel like we are trying to survive rather than live. It is as if we are in a train station, always waiting for something while living out of a suitcase. With each new day, we realize that we will hardly live to see it. Nobody cares about us, as if we were cursed!" – Alexandra Polyakova, a Donetsk resident, shared her feelings with Segodnya.ua.

Photo: Social networks

Dontesk inhabitants say they seem to be living under a veil of negative attitude nourished by the militants themselves. “Men in camo are walking the streets. The TV goes on and on about “war, war, war”, all the films are about war, talks are about war, and not a day passes by without Basurin (DPR speaker and deputy commander of the “DPR Corps” – author) telling people that Donetsk has been bombed to dust by the Ukrainians. They obviously want to keep the audience on tenterhooks,” – Polyakova said. “The prices in shops and markets make the elderly reach for their heart drugs. How someone can say we are thriving here?"

The UN has reminded in its report that many houses in the conflict zone are damaged or looted, local administrations are not performing their duties, water and food are expensive and hard to get.

“The constant shellfire, the fake “celebrations" where people are brought according to special lists, with the glazed-eyed crowd standing and thinking, "When can we go home at last?" – those celebrations look horrible in the backdrop of the general devastation and poverty. They celebrate the Cheesefare Week in the Shcherbakov Park, while the elderly in Petrovka or Oktyabrskiy district can’t remember what bread tastes like,” – Viktor Kirichenko, a teacher from Donetsk pointed out. “The illusion of peaceful and happy life only makes the situation worse. When you walk along the empty high street in the middle of the day, when you see shut and boarded up shops, when all the roads are mutilated by caterpillar treads, when the dilapidated houses stay so for the second year – what more can you say? The militants have morally, if not physically, destroyed the city and its residents".

The power of armed people over the Donetsk inhabitants is absolute so far, which adds to the panic, stress and despair the peaceful people are feeling. "We realize that at any given moment of time anyone of those people can set off a grenade or start shooting for no reason. We have seen this so often! They can take your car or move into your apartment. We all have friends or people we know who have fallen victims to the militants’ actions in one way or another. That’s not to mention those who have left abandoning everything, in the search of a brand new life," – says Kirichenko, the teacher.

Photo: Social networks

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