Hanna is skeptical over potential future peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, saying: “To me, these ‘peace talks’ look like attempts by two states to divide what is in Ukraine (and our state is very rich in minerals and rare earth resources).
Unlike tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees who one day dream of returning home, Hanna has said she will not go back to help give her son “the chance of a better future”.
At the time of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Hanna worked as a broadcaster at a local radio station and carried the heavy responsibility of informing her fellow countrymen that the war had begun.
At 6.30am on February 24, 2022, Hanna recalled waking up to a message from her son’s teacher, informing parents the school had closed as the war had begun.
But back home, Hanna said her friends and family “simply live each day without expectations” — persevering despite no end in sight.
