Day 366 of the full invasion of Ukraine

There were lots of warnings and doomsday scenarios for today - volunteers were advised not to travel, residents who could, left Kyiv, and children were kept home from school for the day. In the end, nothing out of the ordinary happened; unusually, there was not even a siren all day. There will still have been shelling in the usual places - Kherson, Donetsk, etc. - many soldiers will have died and, probably, some civilians. But this is a daily part of what the UN chief called, today, "a living hell" for the people of Ukraine.

We were still in Kharkiv this morning, following our 3 aid drops late yesterday afternoon. We had an interview with BBC Radio Lancashire, who have kept in touch with us since April last year. Bob talked about the dire situation in the areas that were occupied by the Russian army, where we deliver aid, and of our campaign to raise £1000 to buy books for the school in Ivanivka. 

Then I was asked about how long we would stay here, which was a question I found hard to answer. I talked about the attachment I feel to this country, the friends we have made, including Ukrainians and foreign volunteers, and how difficult it would be to leave whilst the war continues. I also mentioned the factors of our age and health. What I forgot to mention is that we have always said we wouldn't stay if we are not useful in some way.

I have experienced feelings of despair today, which driving through Kharkiv epitomised. For a time it was the capital of Ukraine and you can tell you that, before the war, it was a modern, vibrant city. But now, as we said on our last visit here, it's an empty shell. Where people once promenaded along the river, there is no-one...

We parked our van beside a building that did not have one window intact due to bomb damage. But the building over the road escaped unscathed. We didn't manage to find anywhere along the riverfront to have a cup of coffe - everything boarded up and deserted.

Travelling back to Kyiv, spirits were revived by spotting a little community of people on a frozen lake near Poltava. Someone had even set up a tent for the day!..

We stopped in a lay-by not far from Kyiv to stretch our legs. In front of us was one of the ubiquitous ancient, dilapidated cars that we see all the time. The passenger door opened and a soldier got out, barefoot, his feet red and swollen. We think he must have been suffering from "trench foot," which was probably thought to be a relic of the trenches of the last centuries' wars. We assume that he was being taken to a hospital for treatment.

Perhaps the pervasive feeling, however, is the incredible spirit of patriotism and pride that is manifest everywhere, in blue and yellow, from the flags on artillery equipment going east today, to the everyday, such as this beach hut by the Dnipro in Kyiv.

I have a photo folder, entitled "Blue and Yellow;" as we pass this 1-year anniversary of war, I think I may publish a selection of photos in this blog. I like to think that a country this proud and patriotic has to prevail, ultimately.

But, the last image - in the same lay-by as the soldier with trench foot was a memorial to a young soldier who died in 2014 - a reminder that Putin's lust for obliterating Ukraine started nearly 10 years ago.