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(WSVN) – As millions who live in Ukraine fall victim to this war, a couple who remain in the capital of Kyiv have shared a harrowing account of the violence that continues to rage around them.
Oleksandr Kucher and Daria Gorbach, whose names are Sasha and Dasha respectively, spoke to 7News from Kyiv on Wednesday evening.
“This may be our last interview. We don’t know,” Gorbach said.
The couple said they live in a constant state of apprehension as they prepare for rocket attacks.
“I fell to the ground, face down, because we thought this rocket would come into our house,” Gorbach said.
The couple said their lives have changed dramatically in the four weeks since Russian forces invaded their country.
“We hear the sound of rockets or bombs,” Gorbach said.
So far, Kyiv has been much less affected than other Ukrainian cities.
“Really scared, because we thought earlier that Kyiv was very protected,” Gorbach said.
But as the days go by, the invading Russian forces continue to approach the capital.
Kucher and Gorbach gave 7News a virtual tour of their home.
“This wall could save our lives,” Gorbach said.
For several weeks, the couple has been living in the kitchen of the family home in Gorbach.
“We stay here every time. There are no windows,” Gorbach said.
The couple covered other parts of the house with blankets to slow down any shrapnel that might get inside.
“It’s like routine life for us now,” Gorbach said.
As routine as it may be, the couple said, reality and pain sink in every day.
“I wake up completely broken and depressed because we never felt that. We just read about it in the story,” Gorbach said.
But giving up is not an option for them.
“If everyone flees the city, there will be no one to protect the city,” Kucher said.
They said they decided to stay to protect their city, their home and their people through volunteerism.
The couple and others drop off food and medicine at Homeland Defense Headquarters.
The couple also bring food to a metro station where Ukrainians, including close friends, live to stay safe.
“I feel a lot of pain, but I’m glad they feel safe,” Kucher said.
Despite the pain, Kucher and Gorbach said they remain grateful for things like their couch, as well as for each other’s support.
Kucher turned 26 this weekend. He didn’t want to party, but Gorbach and his friends made sure he did.
The couple’s friends also donated nearly $930 to the main military hospital.
“Our country is very, very strong. Our people are very strong,” Gorbach said.
This courage, the couple said, is exactly how their country, their city and their people will stay strong.
“We pray for peace, but we fight for our freedom,” Kucher said.
If you’d like to help Kucher and Gorbach, they’re accepting donations through US-based Michael Coleman Creative Services. For more information, click here.
For more ways to help the people of Ukraine through the National Bank of Ukraine, click here and here.
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