“Someone has to be there”

Darya Romanenko still had a small hope. “I hope that we can continue working here. I hope that Putin will come to his senses,” said the 29-year-old on Monday morning via zoom from the city of Sloviansk in eastern Ukraine. But then, in the evening, Russian President Vladimir Putin gives his speech – and all hope is gone.

Darya Romanenko was born in Ukraine but has lived half of her life in Germany. She graduated from high school in Kehl am Rhein and studied history in Freiburg. Now she is sitting in Slovjansk in eastern Ukraine when she receives the call from Berlin. The city is located in the Donetsk administrative region. Russia has recognized the part of the region occupied by separatists and is no longer able to do so
classified as belonging to Ukraine.