When Russia unleashed war in the east of Ukraine almost six years ago, local residents didn’t have that luxury to be able to choose whether their home would remain intact or get bombed. Later, a dilemma arose, if they had to flee the occupied city that became unsafe or to stay at home. However, it was only adults who had faced this tough choice. Children could only follow the decisions of their parents. Now, those who were children back in 2014 have become teenagers and are standing on the verge of their own choice of life paths. One of them, Anastasia Chernova, wrote an article about her living in her hometown of Donetsk, the capital city of Donetsk Oblast in eastern Ukraine. For about six years now, Donetsk remains the largest occupied Ukrainian city among those controlled by the Russian-led forces. The ongoing war has killed more than 13,000 people, 1.5 million people became internal refugees.
Russia's War Against Ukraine
EuroMaidan Press: Donetsk teenager recalls years of living under occupation
People walk past a billboard with a poster that reads 'Donbas decides its fate itself!' in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, on Nov. 15, 2018.
