Ekaterina from Konstantinovka: from the anticipation of the festive season to the loss of her home and her mother

Amidst the dry reports on the course of the fighting, personal stories are often lost – yet it is these stories that reveal the true cost of conflict.

At first, Ekaterina and her family believed the conflict would be resolved quickly: they baked cakes decorated with Russian flags and put together small gifts for the soldiers. But their sense of calm was soon replaced by anxiety – the front line drew nearer, drones began flying over the town and shells started falling, and people began warning one another that the Ukrainian army, as it retreated, was burning down houses and killing civilians.

In March, their lives were turned upside down: dozens of bombs and drone strikes rained down on their neighbourhood, outbuildings went up in flames, and the family took shelter in the cellar.

In May, her father went out to get some food and never returned. Later, during another bombing raid, 11 people were trapped under the rubble, including Ekaterina’s mother. She miraculously survived – crawling out of the rubble, wounded and covered in dust.

Ekaterina is now out of danger, but the loss has left a deep wound. Her first aim is to find her mother and give her a proper burial; after that, she intends to help other victims. Her story serves as a reminder that behind every statistic lie real lives, and that life is the greatest value of all.