Olga and Sasha are two Ukrainian sisters. The first is 34 years old and is a wine merchant in Paris, where she has lived for seven years. The second, aged 32, lives in kyiv. At the start of the war, she moved in with her mother, her partner, Viktor, her dog and her friend Y., in a building with an underground car park. To the rhythm of sirens and explosions, everyone goes back and forth between the apartment and the basement. The two sisters have agreed since the beginning of the conflict to keep their logbook to Mr. In France, Olga caught the Covid-19. In the country, Sasha is about to return to her home. Both are in shock at discovering the horrors committed by the Russian forces.
Olga and Sasha’s diary, over the weeks
On February 24, 2022, the lives of Olga, 34, and Sasha, 32, turned into war. The eldest lives this tragedy from France, the youngest is stranded in kyiv, Ukraine, taking refuge in an underground car park. They agreed to tell their daily life.
Tuesday 29 March
Olga: I thought I had a big die, but, in fact, I have the Covid. The complete package: cough, fever, headache. I was so exhausted that the virus saw an excellent target in me! I isolate myself.
Sasha: I woke up early to prepare breakfast for everyone: eggs, sausages and even (frozen) croissants. I feel good, the weather is fine. I sat on the terrace to read a book. I also listened to a few podcasts. All day I heard explosions in the distance. It is said that it is our army that holds positions while Russian troops move to the eastern and southern regions following the Istanbul negotiations. Despite everything, we don’t really feel relieved, we don’t trust the Russians. Never. Life here is going to be hard even if we no longer have any risk from heaven. Vigilance will be the word of 2022.
Wednesday March 30
Olga: My life is like being on a roundabout. Since the beginning of the war, the weeks have been repeated tirelessly. Monday, I’m really not well, I want at all costs to bring mine; on Tuesdays, I go crazy, especially in the morning. On Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, I go up the slope, it’s pretty much going. And on Sunday, I start to dive back. I relive the same emotions and feelings every week. It is quite an incredible phenomenon. And this virus that steals my strength and my energy! All day, I listen to interviews with analysts, political scientists, journalists. It feels like an anxiolytic to me. Otherwise, I think too much and I don’t want to think anymore.
Sasha: This morning, we couldn’t make ourselves any food or even a coffee. We have no more electricity. There was an accident that was not related to military actions. Repairmen will come to the residence today. I deleted Facebook and Instagram from my phone, I can’t stand seeing the same things everywhere. My mind needs privacy and quiet. I only have a few chats left on Telegram to get news quickly. I force myself to watch them only three times a day. I also consult The Economist, The New York Times, The Guardian and, with us, Ukrayinska Pravda and Radio Svoboda. Also, I like Tom Cooper’s posts, he’s a military analyst. I have always been a great press reader. It was part of my job as a public relations specialist. Before the war, I read a dozen newspapers every day.
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