The Theater

The military invasion caught her in Herson - intense fighting erupted, and by the beginning of March, the Russians had fully occupied the city. Many families had managed to flee, while the occupiers' tanks, air raid alarms, and soldiers were already part of everyday life. Despite the gravity of the situation, people hoped that everything would end in a few days, that they could emerge from shelters to rebuild their lives. However, the agony prolonged, and fear took an increasing hold on those who remained. Civilians organized into "silent" units, providing help wherever needed. All actions had to proceed with utmost caution because the Russians hunted activists, attempting to quell any resistance from the population. They searched houses, arrested those suspected of ties to the military or police, and subjected them to harsh interrogations.

"On March 5, we organized the first peaceful protest with flags in the city center. I also painted a sign that said 'Herson is Ukraine.' That's what we chanted, and I saw that the Russian soldiers were shocked. They were convinced they were expected, that they had come to liberate us, and we would welcome them with hugs."

Later, soldiers began using gas and weapons to disperse the crowd. In the following days, Russian soldiers' checks and searches focused on identifying the leaders who had organized those protests. On the night of March 24, 2022, several dozen armed Russian soldiers arrived at her father's house, took everyone out in their pajamas, while searching the house. They were looking for evidence that Oleksandr Andriyovych, Oleksandra's father, was a Ukrainian activist, an initiator of pro-Ukrainian movements. "They checked each of us, our phones. They took all the money they found in the house and arrested my dad, saying it would only take a few days." Because Andriyovych was a well-known, active artist in the international theater world, various theater associations took a stand, trying to free him, and his case became public and gained attention. No one understood why a representative of the Ukrainian cultural world was arrested by the Russians. Thus, the pressure from many voices eventually led to the release of Oleksandra's father.

Constant threats against all family members forced them to leave their ancestral home. However, any departure involved a very high risk - because one could only leave when humanitarian corridors for civilians were open, and there were situations where entire families were killed in cars trying to leave the city. Oleksandra's father, along with his wife and the younger sister, managed to leave the city.

Oleksandra made sure that her daughter and son, Margarita and Georgii, left the country, along with her ex-husband, while she stayed behind with her beloved partner to help her mother, grandmother, and the rest of the relatives. They started volunteering: "We didn't have a green corridor, we had no help from the government, so we had to organize ourselves. We organized distribution of food and medicine but we distributed everything as discreetly as possible because the Russians were hunting such volunteer organizations."

Oleksandra's story flows so fast, so intensely, that it feels like I forgot to breathe. It seems like she's narrating scenes from a movie, but the subtle tremor in her voice and her hands fidgeting, like in a prolonged, tireless dance, are living witnesses to recent traumas.

Because they realized their lives were not safe anywhere in that area, they embarked on a long and risky journey through Crimea, Russia, Europe, and then back to western Ukraine. After spending 5 months in the occupied zone, Oleksandra managed to visit her children in Vienna. Then, she and her partner settled in Kiev.

The story continues, colored with both tears and fragments of clear sky. Oleksandra's father returned to Herson to revitalize the artistic life of the city. Ukrainians did not want to give up on beauty, so the theater's motto became "We are home." A small group of artists created an art hub, staging plays that breathed new life into the city so affected by the tragedy of war. That space also became a home for children who can enjoy free art and craft lessons provided by the KRYLA Foundation.

"Every Ukrainian must remember the heroes and the price they pay every day... We have cities under occupation... others destroyed, wiped off the face of the earth. We must not remain silent. We need to be united!"

Oleksandra's surname translates to "Carte" (Book) in Romanian. I don't know what the next chapters of her life will hold, but what she has written so far are stories full of love, courage, and dedication.


"Every Ukrainian must remember the heroes and the price they pay every day... We have cities under occupation... others destroyed, wiped off the face of the earth. We must not remain silent. We need to be united!"