On February 27, the heating was gone. I had to sleep in fur boots and a fur coat. Then it became cold even in the fur coat, and I laid the second fur coat on the bed.
How did we survive? Three or four days before the start of the war, I had a shopping day: I bought meat, cheese, and many other things. But you know, I didn't want anything. We heated water on a fire in the yard. I just drank hot water, but could not eat. But the neighbors boiled potatoes, carrots, onions – they chopped everything finely so that it would be ready fast. They would boil the vegetables for about 15 minutes on fire, after which they would take the brew home and eat.
For three weeks, I almost did not drink, did not eat, and did not go to the toilet, sorry for the details. All the life processes have slowed down. I am 67 years old. My legs unlearned how to walk, climbing to the second floor was like conquering Mount Everest. It was very hard.
From our entrance, there was only left an alcoholic on the ground floor and a drug addict on the first one. Also, an old woman with a dog above me. I met a neighbor from the second entrance, 42 years old, Ph.D., chopping wood. I told him: "Vasily, when you and your mother are leaving, you warn me."
“What, lads, you want some water?”
Personally, I did not come into contact with Russian soldiers, otherwise, I'm afraid, I would not talk to you. I am a talkative, emotional person, I would have blurted everything out in their faces. They came to one of my friends – ten of them. She asked them where they were from. From Tambov, they said. She described them as precise in their movements, in full gear. They checked her papers, took her phone, and one of them declared: “Before your eyes, I am breaking the SIM card and returning the phone.” Who do you think you are to take my things in my house?! Of course, I wouldn't hesitate to tell them off.