Iryna Schestova, 50, and her daughter Liia Kazakova, 26, are navigating the challenges of living in Ukraine amid ongoing conflict. Iryna, having lost her husband to the war, now resides in a friend’s house in a suburban area near Kiev. Her family has largely dispersed: her youngest daughter is in Canada, her sister is in Lviv, and her eldest daughter temporarily returned to Ukraine but prefers to stay away from the violence of central Kiev.
Before the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022, Iryna had relocated to Kiev after fleeing her home in Donetsk in 2014. She returned in pursuit of familiarity and financial stability, despite facing difficulties in reintegrating into society after living abroad. Over a million Ukrainians have returned home, but many face challenges such as housing and job opportunities.
While some individuals are working to facilitate the process of returning for refugees, Iryna’s daughter Liia struggles with the reality of living amid air raid sirens and military activity, feeling a constant sense of stress. She has undergone surgery and is now recovering, but remains uncertain about her long-term future in Ukraine.
Both mother and daughter express a desire to return to a peaceful country, but Liia emphasizes the need for security before making further plans. In the meantime, she is working remotely and finds respite in the quiet surrounding their temporary home, reflecting on the emotional complexity of their experiences during the war.
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