STORY 3 - ANNA ALADARENKO
"People are the nicest thing that ever happened to me. In war (...) life is so intense, short and real, that everything false disappears (...) the hardest thing, for me, is to let go of their embrace. Physically, I can't let go of my arms."
Anna is tall, upright, and determined, like a military general. A large tattoo wraps around her entire left arm, and amid the flowers peeking out from under the sleeve of her shirt, a chilling face - half-human, half-beast - is discernible. Anna is incredibly beautiful, and when she smiles, the whole room seems to transform.
"The war caught me off guard, as it probably did for most people. I was absolutely convinced that all the warnings would end as usual, with the sound of weapons and conflicts only in Donbas. But on the morning of the 24th, I didn't understand anything. A guy shouted at me, 'What don't you understand?! The war has started!' and I looked out the window, and saw the smoking traces of rockets over my Dnipro."
Anna told me that war doesn't necessarily change people, it just amplifies what they already were. That's why she quickly learned in the new conditions not to believe in stereotypes but to discover for herself what each person is like. She sought to understand accurately what was happening and what the most relevant scenarios for the future were. There were speculations everywhere that it wouldn't last long, that this war would end in a few days or weeks. "That's when I went and talked to the soldiers. They told me from the beginning that it would be a long war because the Russians have many mobilized people and a lot of ammunition." She understood that there was no point in waiting. There was nothing to wait for, so she took action. Initially, she took action by sharing on social networks what she was experiencing, what was really happening around her. She was surprised by the response. People contacted her and said they wanted to help. "So I focused on the field where I knew I could help the most - cars and drones. From donations, we bought drones and started looking for cars." Anna's specialization in hydraulics and large machinery proved to be of great use on the front line. Using only private funds, Anna's team bought, delivered, and repaired essential equipment.
She then told me about the desperate search for solutions for soldiers freezing in the cold trenches. About how it was vital for them to receive heat without making a fire and exposing themselves. A friend from Poland discovered some thermal insoles used by mountaineers in boots to keep warm for 8-10 hours, and these became the life-saving solution. She has dear friends on the front line, and as she talked about them, I felt that somewhere behind the memories, were tears that she struggled to hold back. "They are like brothers to me. Even my mom, when she wants to know how things are, asks me 'how are your brothers,' even though we are two sisters in the family. Sometimes I visit them in hospitals..."
I asked her about fear, whether she had experienced it and if she still feels it sometimes. "At first, I asked about our chances in case of a missile attack. We were told we have about 10 minutes to take cover after the alarms start ringing. Then we learned about the Iskander missiles. They can't be detected. Alarms only go off after the Iskander hits. What's the point of being afraid? It's downright stupid! In fact, we wouldn't even have time to be afraid; we'd be dead already."
She has never considered leaving Ukraine, doing all the coordination work for supplies and deliveries from somewhere outside the country. She wants to be as close as possible to them, to her brothers who fight on the front lines. Anna smiles at me with simplicity and modesty. Time has become her friend because so much depends on it—many lives. So, she has grasped it firmly and holds onto it, like the mane of a spirited stallion, not allowing it to run without her. She is always against the clock, making decisions and taking actions. She never negotiates the quality of the work and services, knowing that lives are at stake—hundreds and thousands of lives. "Sometimes I am diplomatic, other times I use strong words. That's a side effect of living among combat soldiers. With me, they behave with a downright hilarious delicacy. They call me 'bunny' or 'squirrel' and treat me with all the love and affection that, in battle, they have to suppress and restrain." Anna laughs beautifully, and it feels like the entire room has brightened.
I asked her about the toughest periods she has gone through. "When I couldn't find my best friend for five days was the toughest. I knew it was normal for him to disappear for two or three days when they were in the midst of operations or when the Starlink network wasn't working. This time I didn't understand what was happening. I managed to find his relatives and learned that he was seriously injured but alive, in a hospital." Anna's voice was sad and filled with pain. It was deep, carrying tears and burdens that we can't even imagine.
"Anna, have beautiful things happened in your life during all time, amidst all this suffering?" Once again, she smiles warmly at me, and the cloud that had settled on her face gradually disappears. "Of course! People. People are the most beautiful thing that has happened to me. In war, there is no place for falsehood. Life is so intense, short, and real that everything false disappears. I felt so much love from people who wanted to help and from the fighters. Every time I drive with cars to certain units, we hug each other. When I leave, I hug them again. And the hardest thing for me is to let them go from the embrace. Physically, I can't release my arms; I can't let go. Then they start joking to lighten those moments: 'Anna, finish it, we're complicating the situation!' I start laughing and manage to move on."
Every gesture, every transport or car that Anna delivers to the soldiers is filled with love. With small acts of love to tell the recipients that they are loved and appreciated and that their effort is valued. "I clean the interiors of each car, put air fresheners, and attach a talisman keychain to each set of keys. I could say that the love I give them protects them because out of the 17 cars I've delivered so far, 15 are still functional."
"The front is not just about the soldiers who fight. The front means each of us, those who act behind the front lines, those who help as we can. I know that if I stop helping, I will become someone who needs to be helped. And I don't want that."