Iryna Matviyishyn Profile picture
Dec 31, 2023 7 tweets 2 min read Read on X
This is Natalia from Mariupol - before and after Russia bombed her city in 2022. Russians destoryed her home, business, health, turning her beautiful and active life into hell. Natalia miraculously survived but only two years after, she says, she wants to live again. 🧵
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I met Natalia in Kyiv for a story (hopefully, it will come out soon, and you'll read it in full). For now, I'm posting this in case anyone would like to support this incredibly strong woman who's gone through so much pain that it is hard to grasp.
In March, Russia bombed the dormitory where Natalia was seeking shelter with her kids and husband. Fortunately, they survived, but she endured numerous shrapnel injuries, with half of her head and hands shattered into pieces, and the loss of one eye.
After two years of surgeries, Natalia still lives with pieces of shrapnel inside her body, sometimes causing her unbearable pain.
Today, Natalia feels much better than months ago. However, it requires significant resources to maintain her health — from regular changes of prosthetic eyes to buying cosmetics that helps her feel comfortable in among people. Image
While Ukrainian doctors are helping Natalia regain her face, she also has to take care of her little kid. Because Natalia's husband, who was also injured, has to look after her, he cannot work either. For now, the family lives on their savings and volunteers.
If any of you would like to extend a helping hand, here's their newly created PayPal account for donations: natayukhmanova@gmail.com

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More from @IMatviyishyn

Jun 10, 2023
Some days it's just too much to handle. A simple question, a wounded soldier asking you for a direction, or just a song triggers you - and all the accumulated pain, the unbearable difficulty of everything the world sees in the news, breaks out. And you can only be understood here
Last week, I visited my Polish relatives whom I haven't seen for ages because they live near the German border where I usually don't go. Unexpectedly, I still felt like we were from different worlds. At some point, I even had to explain why we, Ukrainians, have to keep fighting
I had to defend my brother for going to the frontline, for not buying himself an indulgence from the service (in front of people who are EU citizens), for defending the country that he wants to live in. I even had to defend myself for covering war as if it was my dream
Read 5 tweets
Jun 7, 2023
Zelensky told @BILD that he's shocked by @UN’s and @ICRC’s lack of response to the consequences of the Kakhovka dam breach. “They are not here! Although the disaster happened many hours ago, they are not there.The UN and the Red Cross must be the first to be there to save lives”
Zelenskyy is deeply disappointed with the reaction of @UN and @ICRC to inquiries from Ukraine: "We have not received an answer. I'm shocked." And if there was a reaction, it was "very diplomatic", - @BILD reported.
Good that ICRC can «coordinate » with @RedCrossUkraine but it’s worrying. The Ukrainian team, mostly volunteers, has been working throughout and after the Russian occupation, constantly in danger. Where is the international staff that can play the famous “neutrality” card?
Read 8 tweets
May 15, 2023
💔 Irpin, Kyiv Oblast. Posted in March by Alex Dayrabekov:
"This is my neighbor's car in the residential complex. Misha's car. They were refugees from Donetsk. He parked this car near mine a year ago. The car is still here. There is no driver. It has been a year already. Image
On March 6, 2022, Misha put this sheet with the word "CHILDREN" on the windshield. He wanted to evacuate his family. A convoy of 12 cars set off for Kyiv through Stoyanka. This convoy was attacked and shot at by the assault units of the Russo-fascists.
As it happened, Misha didn't make it with that convoy. Whether by luck or misfortune. He returned to the residential complex, parked this car here, where it still stands.
In the evening, he and his family went up to their apartment.
Read 5 tweets
May 14, 2023
Zelensky's private audience with Pope Francis is surely a big event. The only problem is both have a completely different vision and understanding of how to end Russia's war in Ukraine. Well, maybe it's not the only problem.
Last year, frustrated with Pope's statements and reluctance to call Russia an aggressor, I and @josephaim18 wrote an article for La Stampa, explaining the Vatican's policy of neutrality and why it should change. It's still relevant - English version here ukraineworld.org/articles/opini…
@josephaim18 The fact that Zelensky has to ask the Pope to condemn Russian war crimes (!) in Ukraine - not even Russia itself - is ridiculous and sad at the same time. This is not neutrality, and in no way it helps to end the war.
Read 4 tweets
May 13, 2023
My Portuguese friend told me that the dean of Coimbra University, where I wrote my diploma thesis, dismissed the Director of Centre for Russian studies, Vladimir Pliassov. He was accused of spreading propaganda among his students, "far from lessons on literature and culture"
Unsurprisingly, the guy was sharing propaganda videos and even letters from Russian-occupied "south of Donetsk Oblast" (probably, Mariupol) with his students, as well as the fascist st. George ribbon. To top it all off, he was the President of "Russkiy Mir Foundation" in Portugal
Pliassov showed such propaganda videos from the YouTube channel of the Centre for Russian studies, culture and language, presenting occupied territories of Ukraine as "liberated." All said, it's great the University of Coimbra reacted but this story teaches us a few things
Read 8 tweets
May 7, 2023
Too many Ukrainians living in Germany write about this German obsession with 'peace building' during the war and 'neutrality' towards Ukraine and Russia. It looks like there're two extremes in this naive and dangerous thinking 🧵
The first thing you can often read from Ukrainians in the cultural sector is that they are often put with Russians as equals, on the same stage in public discussions and events.
Yet, some Europeans are really into premature 'reconciliation.' Ukrainians, who see death and losses on a daily basis, are trying try to avoid any encounters with Russians, most of who have done little to nothing to prevent the war or who can't change their imperial mindset.
Read 8 tweets

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