‘Today Is the Fourth Day of Hell’: Young Ukrainian Couple Tries to Survive War

“I hope the world will hear us [before] it is not too late,” said Svitlana Prokofieva on Sunday from Chernihiv, Ukraine. After days of Russian attacks, the city was eerily quiet.

Until Thursday, Svitlana’s life was exceedingly normal. She has been married to her husband, Michael Murkin, for 15 years. Svitlana, 35, is a product manager at a stationary company, and Michael, 34, is a project manager in e-commerce. They live in Chernihiv, a city 95 miles from Kyiv, near Svitlana’s family. 

But when Russia invaded Ukraine, everything changed. “Today is the fourth day of hell,” Svitlana told VICE News. “We still can’t believe it is happening to us. We can’t believe that in [the] modern world our neighbor comes to us with weapons.”

Chernihiv falls almost directly between the Russian border and Kyiv; Russian troops attacked Chernihiv on their way to the capital, but have so far failed to take the city. The fighting has kept Svitlana and Michael up at night, terrified for what’s to come: “We hear explosions, we know it is on the outskirts of the city, but still it is very loud,” Svitlana said. “Every day we are afraid of the nightfall.” 

The couple hasn’t seen Russian soldiers yet, but their mayor warned them that street fights might start. For now, they’re hiding in their apartment and don’t have any weapons. 

But as Russia’s soldiers and advanced weaponry continues to make its way across the border, the couple has been forced to imagine and prepare for the most brutal possible outcomes. In case they are captured by Russian troops, Michael told Svitlana to save herself: “If they do something to me, don’t get fooled,” Michael told her. “Run away.” 

“[These were] the most terrible words in my life that I heard from my husband,” Svitlana said. 

And the couple doesn’t feel that they can leave anymore: “We don’t have the opportunity to leave Ukraine, we just won’t get to the border,” Svitalana said. “Many bridges have been blown up, there are many Russian soldiers.”

They’ve been impressed, however, with how President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has handled everything. “Few people expected that our president would show such courage and  determination in this war,” said Svitlana. “He has become a real leader now.”

Even with Zelenskyy’s bravery, Svitlana and Michael have been disheartened by how slowly European countries have responded to the situation. “We are face-to-face with the enemy, but the enemy is already close to the borders of Europe,” Svitlana said. “We need support.” 

After the war, Svitlana and Michael would actively consider moving to another country. “I love my city very much, I love my job, but never again in my life do I want to experience this feeling of fear, hopelessness, defenselessness, betrayal,” she said. “We [don’t] want our future kids to ask us, ‘Mom, is this a war? And now I can’t grow up?’” Those are the questions, she said, the daughter of one of her friend’s just asked.

“Russians shoot at residential houses, at peaceful residential houses, at children's houses. Our children are now being born in basements, it's terrible,” Svitlana said. “This is a war, this is not a conflict.” 

Svitlana and Michael have spent the last few days staying with her parents, since they live in an apartment on the first floor. “We were warned that at night there will be heavy shelling from the air, so we all stayed in the corridor near the load-bearing wall away from windows,” Svitlana said. They have spread out sleeping bags and pillows on the floor. 

The rest of their family are staying in their own homes. And on top of trying to survive the war, Svitlana’s 85-year-old grandmother just recovered from COVID. “She refused to move to my parents’,” Svitlana said, “but I believe she will be OK. She is a real fighter.” For now, she has enough groceries for the week, but then the family will have to help her restock. It’s the same situation for Michael’s parents and grandparents. 

“Life will never be the same, and we do not know what it will be,” Svitlana said. “We just lived, rejoiced, got upset over trifles, made plans, and now there is only one plan—to stay alive.”