836 day of war

Hi, friends!

This week, we faced stricter power outage schedules. Previously, we had 6 hours with electricity and 3 without, but now the power is off for 6 hours and on for 3. They say many power plants have been destroyed, and the latest strikes on the Dnieper Hydroelectric Station have severely damaged the country’s power system, so we will continue to live with these schedules for now. Although we are warned that things will only get worse, I remain hopeful that the authorities will find solutions to this situation. Given that our electricity tariffs have significantly increased and are now higher than those in neighboring European countries, perhaps increasing electricity imports might help. Although I am not very knowledgeable in this area, maybe it is more complicated than I imagine.

While the power is out, we spend more time walking in the woods and gathering ingredients for tea. In the photo, we are collecting linden flowers. I try to do a lot of preparations for winter, gathering herbs and freezing summer berries. In winter, this not only provides delicious food but also brings back many pleasant memories. This year, I still hope to get to the mountains and gather Ivan-tea (I’m not sure how common this plant is worldwide, it’s called Epilobium angustifolium and it grows in the Carpathians. It's a very tasty and healthy herbal tea with a lot of vitamins. In the past few years, I’ve stopped drinking black and green teas and only drink Ivan-tea now).

Although it is dangerous outside due to numerous patrols and people being taken to military enlistment offices en masse, I have been fortunate so far. Today, we went to the store, and a car with soldiers stopped near us, but they approached another man nearby. I am grateful that I look younger than I am, and even school students look older. I think that's why I don't attract their attention.. Nonetheless, I try to be cautious and avoid patrols.

The country has become somewhat calmer, largely due to the permission to strike Russian territory with Western weapons. Kharkiv, which had become a city where people literally lived in bomb shelters due to constant attacks with guided bombs over the past month, is finally coming back to life. Just hours after the permission was granted, our army began targeting warehouses, rocket launchers, and military equipment in the Belgorod region, making it impossible for the Russians to continue their border terror. It is indeed strange when we are daily bombarded with all types of weapons, with strikes on homes, shopping centers, and critical infrastructure, and we cannot respond because they are firing from their territory. The Russians knew this, so they didn’t even hide their equipment. Many rocket launchers were simply in fields near the border, not concealed in any way, so within a few days, our army was able to destroy a significant amount of equipment and force them to withdraw what remained further from the border.

I no longer believe in any escalation, nuclear strikes, or similar threats. For us, the level of escalation is already at its peak, as everyone living in Ukraine now knows what is happening, and it can't get worse. Nuclear weapons seem to be Putin’s favorite scare tactic, so no one pays attention to it anymore. I don’t think it will ever happen, no matter what is said.

Now I feel better and calmer, and I think the medication helps a lot. There are many reasons to worry, but I try to think rationally. Next week, my father plans to go to the occupied territory, to Mariupol. Our apartment, which was hit by a missile, has been rebuilt by the Russians, and they passed a law allowing them to take such apartments if the owner is not found. I told my father that he wouldn’t be able to claim any rights, because first, all apartment owners must be present, and second, claims from people with Ukrainian passports are not considered at all.

But he still plans to go, hoping to find some belongings and documents. I am unhappy with his decision, as he will have to go through filtration and interrogations, and the city is very dangerous. I hope he knows what he is doing and that he will be safe.

Thank you all for your support; I am glad we are not alone. Also, thank you very much for the help on BuyMeACoffee, it is really helpful.