Natalia Verdiev, a mother of two young boys, is among the five million people who have fled Ukraine since Russian forces invaded on February 24. And because men between the ages of 18 and 60 are barred from leaving the country, millions of displaced women—especially those with young children—are fighting their own quiet battle, hundreds and thousands of miles from home. Subscribe to Ukraine War Diaries on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Spreaker Image: Natalia now lives in Poland with her two children, while her husband, Ilyas, remains in Kyiv Speaking from Poland, Natalia, whose Kyiv-based husband Ilyas is a regular contributor to the Ukraine War Diaries podcast, explains. “I found a Ukrainian community, a Ukrainian center. There are many Ukrainians. Going to group therapy, we talk about everything. The war, our families, our spouses, our children, our pain, our happiness. “Sometimes we cry, sometimes we laugh, and it’s a great time, because I can share my feelings with someone. “I try to be strong. I have to be like this because I have two kids, I have my mom here, I have to be strong. I have no other way.”
More about Ukraine War Diaries
Natalia’s testimony mirrors that of Oksana who has been recording audio diaries since March. He is currently in Brussels. Image: Oksana (second from left) is now in Brussels recording her audio diaries since March “Here, I think the sounds of war are a bit muffled,” he says, adding that people are trying to adjust to their new world. “For example, my friend’s sister is a therapist and does volunteer work for women who have suffered from the trauma of disconnection from their husbands. “When you start thinking about how many families have been affected by this war, how many people will be separated and how many people won’t find ways to come back to each other, it’s just scary.” From the creators of Sky News’ award-winning Storycast, Ukraine War Diaries is a weekly podcast that follows those living on Europe’s new front line and those who have escaped it. Producer: Robert Mulhern Podcast Promotion Producer: David Chipakupaku
