Dear friends, greetings! We are young people who dreamed of becoming part of a special time: student life. In September 2021, Kharkiv National University of Economics made our dreams of studying to become journalists a reality. We went to classes, communicated, spent time together after studies, enjoying the amazing city of Kharkiv, and passed exams in the winter session. It seemed like a new step in life – bright, full of new experiences and acquaintances. But it suddenly came to an end. On February 24, 2022, the full-scale invasion by russia began. Our stories are quite different, but they are filled with similar pain.
Unfortunately, the terrorist war of aggression does not allow us to fully enjoy our wonderful student years. Now we can only study online. Many students and teachers were forced to leave Kharkiv for different cities of Ukraine or to go abroad for their own safety. Some of them, unfortunately, found themselves under occupation, but despite everything, our student life continues as much as possible. We are trying to continue our normal lives. Communicating with family and friends who are nearby helps us feel better and calmer. There are friends who are far away, but we are still in touch, because the most important thing at the moment is support and communication. We realize that we need to combine our efforts for our victory, so we need to stay together as a team.
LEV
My name is Lev, I was born and raised in Kharkiv. I associate all of my beautiful and eventful childhood with this wonderful city. I have always wanted to be here. For me, this city is a place of energy and inspiration; being here, I feel truly free and able to overcome all difficulties and adversities, despite everything. I remember very well my excitement in the summer of 2021, when I entered the university. It was a completely new phase in my life. I was looking forward to starting my studies because I realized that my best student years were coming up. However, only the first semester of study was held in normal conditions, when we were able to see our classmates almost every day, communicate and live a full student life.
I will never forget February 24, 5 a.m., Thursday. We were supposed to have an English class at the university. But I woke up that morning not to an alarm clock, but to explosions. I was scared and did not know what would happen next. I immediately called my parents. I remember that Ilona also got in touch with me through a messaging app. After talking to my family, I quickly gathered all the necessary things and documents, ran to the subway, then to the bus, and from there I got home to my parents. They live in the suburbs, and I met the war in an apartment in Kharkiv near the university. In March 2022, I left for a city in central Ukraine that was completely unknown to me, as it was too dangerous to stay in Kharkiv. I started adapting not only to the online learning format, but also to new people and a different city in general. I returned to my native Kharkiv in the fall of 2022. A little over two years have passed since 24 February 2022.
Now I’m graduating from my third year, and the last and most important step of my studies, my diploma thesis and graduation, are ahead. Of course, this is not how I imagined my student years, but despite all the hardships, dangers and problems, I have friends from the university with whom I continue to communicate. I just can’t imagine myself without their support, and it doesn’t matter that it’s online communication, the most important thing is that it’s there. We’re always in touch and we’re going to stay connected.
ILONA
My name is Ilona, I am from Vovchansk, Kharkiv region. My fondness for reading books, writing and love of sports led me to the dream of becoming a journalist. After graduating from school, I wanted to study in Kharkiv, a city of students and opportunities. One summer day, I applied to the university and dreamed of bright student years. Moving into a student hostel, making friends, starting my studies – I was overwhelmed with emotions from the new stage of my life.
Unfortunately, we never got to celebrate the first student spring. My dad’s call at 6 am on February 24 turned my life completely upside down, then I was monitoring the news and keeping in touch with family and friends. I will remember that morning in the student hostel forever: packing the necessary things, panic and not knowing what would happen next. In 30 minutes, it was decided that I would go to my aunt’s house, which was not far from the university. I remember walking past the main entrance of the university with explosions nearby and recording a voice message to my friend Lev (you can also read his story here). I did not know then that I would not see that main entrance for the next two years, nor would I see my friends.
The next days of the full-scale invasion were spent with my family, but in the basement. But then I was not afraid for myself, but for my parents and grandparents who were in Vovchansk, which was occupied from the very first day. A week later I was home with my parents. But we didn’t know how hard it would be. The occupation of my hometown by the Russians was beyond my comprehension. The only thing that gave me strength were friends, family and studies, which restarted at the end of March. It was hard mentally, but it brought me back to my previous life, at least for an hour. In April 2022, my family and I left the occupied city of Vovchansk, abandoning our home, but not losing hope and faith.
We had a difficult way to leave, because there was only one way out – through Russia. Interrogation by the FSB, a long trip through the enemy’s country, a queue at the border with Latvia, and finally the words of the Latvian border guards: “Don’t worry, you’re safe now.” After traveling thousands of kilometers, we reached Germany, where we live now. Despite everything, I wanted to continue my studies at my Kharkiv university and follow my dream.
Adapting to a new country was difficult: a language barrier, a completely different culture and traditions; but my classes at the university saved me. Hearing and seeing my friends at least through a Zoom conference, doing homework and listening to lectures motivated me. Now we have completed our third year, with a final exam and the fourth and final year of our bachelor’s degree ahead of us. We certainly miss each other and our university, but we do not lose hope that one day we’ll be together. In these difficult times, we have held on and will continue to do so.
In the fall of 2022, Kharkiv National University of Economics was on the brink of danger when powerful explosions occurred near its walls. In May 2024, the university was damaged by another shelling that smashed windows in the buildings and the assembly hall, where we first visited the university as students in August 2021.
Photos and videos of the destruction of the university were provided by Kyrylo Yakymenko, a Kharkiv resident, volunteer with the Stay with Ukraine Foundation, master’s student, head of the youth organization of the IEP (Faculty of International Economics and Entrepreneurship) faculty, 22 years old. Kyrylo writes, “The Russians attacked my university, and I, as the head of the youth organization of my faculty, and just a student who loves his place of study, could not pass by. We got together, cleaned up, and boarded up the windows. It took us two days to do it. Together we are strong. People, be polite and do not ignore calls for help. Glory to Ukraine, Glory to the Armed Forces.”