Ukraine War Survivor, Olga Ramonova narrates how she escaped death in Kiev
When Olga Ramonova woke up in Kiev, the Ukraine capital to the loud booms of explosions and shrieks of car alarms in February, the young Ukrainian of Russian descent did not expect she would soon have to bury her loved ones and fend off cold and starvation as Russian troops pounded the capital city into dust.
Yet, she managed to survive and leave a city that now lies in ruins, narrowly escaping death in Russian bombardments, and avoiding being captured by Moscow’s soldiers as they hunted for any Kiev defenders.
Olga who is now going through the darkest moment of her life , loosing her dad to the war is living temporarily in one of neighbouring European countries to pick a new life.
Olga while speaking exclusively with the crew of Asa News Online, in her words said:
“First of all, I have really complicated story, because I was born in Soviet Union on RF territory, my sister was born in Feodosia, Crimea Republic, where I went to first school class.. Means, I am russian, I belong to its culture and language.
War for me started at end April 2014 with sever attack of Ukrainian Boarding Control Point which is in walking distance from my house. Next few days I had to go to Kyiv for exam session at University. I came back to Luhans’k in July and it was totally different world with bombs flying over head, with mines, with shooting and totally helpless.
I left 27th July with the last train. In front of me were kidnapped few students from Ghana of Medical University. They were taken by Tchechenian who had a “nest” (center) under overpass by Luhans’k main train station. One of students must remember me, because I catch up his abductor about lest at stairs suitcase. That was lest at stairs suitcase belong to student from Ghana… I went to see Ghana embassy in Kyiv next days I came to Kyiv, but found nothing: the building was under construction and nobody knows how to let know about tragedy happened in front of me. Anyway, later on I found out that these students were free from captivity. I’d like to know more but how.
I came to Kyiv totally alone and desperate. I didn’t know what to do and how to be: my sister stays in Luhans’k, my father was in rf, my mom didn’t have possibility to use ticket to rf I bought her. I was alone.
All these time during I had an impression, it wasn’t me, it’s a nightmare. But I felt the presence of some extremely strong foreign power over nice and peaceful Luhans’k. I left my childhood memories there, I took just some clothes and summer shoes with me.
Since that time I started to warn al around me about dangerous from rf… I was born there, I went to school there, I felt not really well about future. People told me that I am russsophobic, that I’m wrong. I told that war will go further but nobody believed.
Begging February 2022 I went to local Commissariat to join a Territory Defence Battalion. But next days I got Kovid, which gave complications to my heart. So I cannot join civil Battalion of Territory Defence because of my health issues.
I work in Cinematography, so I contacted our actual president kinda personally. Me, as lots of Ukrainian citizens, we weren’t expecting anything good. He worked mostly in rf, he has business there, he seemed to be weak.
But…
24th February I woke up with sound, I’d dream to forget: with bombing… That was at 4:47 am. I stood up from bed, went to smoke a cigarette. Next I laid to bed again. My cats surrounded me and they looked very stressed. My first thinking was “not again… god… not again”
But I heard bombing. I opened social media and read news. pu started the full ranger war but called it “Special Operation” as he did few times before in Georgia, in Syria, Tchechenya, in Donbass and few more places. Zelenskyi did declared Martial Low what wasn’t declared by Poroshenko, the previous President.
My house is in heart of Kyiv, near by Office of President and Parliament. Means, if pu gonna use nuclear bomb, my home is at first line. I heard machine guns shooting at 25 and 26th February. Means, someone really tried to attack presidential area. This i can prove in front of any court of low.
But Zelensk’lyj didn’t leave. He stays by our side and it is inspiring. and this is wow) total respect whatever of few very substation or consequential claims. But it’s an “after victory inside questions”. He gives us inspiration, whatever all over the word.
I know Zelensk’yj personally from profession. But I’m totally impressed the way he presents us on international level.
I’m absolutely impressed the life gets over destroyed places: humanitarian help comes immediately to recovered places. I help with my very low capacities but… Izum, Kup’yansk, all small villages got connection to civilisation about immediately. I know people who does it personally, they are representative of local business, social organisations like VostokSOS. This is absolutely impressive.
It is so complicated for me here now… I am in European country, I do speak few European languages, I have long time spent in Europe. But… I cannot find myself here, my heart belongs to Ukraine who is suffering but I can’t be any helpful.
Being born and basic educated in Russian Federation, having parents representing weird imperialistic opinion, understanding 100% language I assume that there is no diplomatic way to finish war. Ukrainian freedom to decide is extremely dangerous for Kremlin, what does realise that they are nothing without history taken from Ukraine, plus Ukraine is a manger for rf with its severe climate.
In the end effect, I have a stupid impression: as soon as United Stated totally lost control over United Europe, it takes the stupid russian invasion place, and US gets to rule Europe again. Thanks a lot, mr.put/in
