Sviatohirsk: Life under fire, rescuing a hundred dogs, and faith in the return of loved ones

Residents of Sviatohirsk in the Donetsk region continue to live in an area of direct combat operations, despite the constant threat of shelling and infrastructure destruction. Correspondents from the "Ukraïner" project visited the city on 20 August and published a detailed report on 23 October, prepared by Myroslav Laiuk, about what keeps people in their homes and how they are adapting to new realities.

Reasons to stay: from animals to historical land

The rumble of explosions, destroyed buildings, and anti-drone nets limiting space have become part of daily life. However, not everyone is in a hurry to leave the city. Locals cite caring for animals, the need to provide humanitarian aid, the fear that danger awaits anywhere, and the inability to imagine life outside their native land for an indefinite period as the main reasons for staying.

Monk Raphael told journalists that he would only leave the monastery by decision of the leadership. He added that when talk of departure arises among the brothers, a "silence hangs in the air" (повисає тиша). For many residents of Sviatohirsk, hope is sustained by the Sviatohirsk Lavra itself, which dominates the city and serves as an important centre of connection.

Everyday life under fire: people's stories

Volodymyr Rybalkin, the head of the city administration, who is constantly armed, gave guests a tour of streets where present-day ruins remind of former buildings. He emphasised:

«Думаємо, що ми тут залишимося. Ці землі ніхто не віддасть. А захищати ці землі – честь» (We think we will stay here. No one will give up these lands. And defending these lands is an honour).

A representative of the media outlet StopCor spoke about cases where people walked from Lyman to Sviatohirsk, hoping to find a safer place. Local residents reported such displaced persons to the head of the administration to organise their evacuation by car.

Municipal services and humanitarian aid workers continue to operate in the city, ensuring the community's viability. Residents move along "forest-yard" paths, hauling drinking water and belongings out of destroyed apartments.

One resident, who travels by bicycle and works as an embroiderer, said that on the road she "listens to the sky" (слухає небо). She showed her work on her phone, including an image of the All Saints Skete of the Sviatohirsk Lavra. This structure was destroyed by fire on 4 June 2022, but now it exists in the form of cross-stitch on fabric.

Another woman shared a tragic story: her son died defending Ukraine, and she buried him in a closed coffin. Despite this, she maintains the belief that her son is still alive. Volodymyr Rybalkin told a similar story: his son, a tank platoon commander, went missing three years ago. His last known location was recorded in New York in the Donetsk region.

Caring for a hundred dogs in the midst of war

A separate heroine of the report is a resident who has been caring for abandoned animals since the start of the full-scale invasion. Around a hundred dogs are under her care. Some live on the territory of several courtyards, while others the woman finds on the streets or takes in for treatment.

Every morning, she prepares about 40 litres of porridge, which she distributes around the city, and treats sick animals. The woman expresses anxiety about the approaching winter, recalling last year's frosts when some animals died, left tied up after their owners evacuated due to shelling, cold, and thirst.

Despite the difficult conditions, she maintains peacetime habits, for example, doing her manicure:

«Це по старій памʼяті, що не можу я без манікюра. Ось так з нігтями – ніби і війни немає» (It's out of old habit, I can't do without a manicure. Like this with nails – it's as if there is no war).

Sviatohirsk Lavra: life despite destruction and scandal

Journalists also visited the Sviatohirsk Lavra, which suffered damage as a result of combat operations. Despite the destruction, people are working on the territory, and monks are making efforts to maintain the estate and meet the needs of residents.

The report mentions the collaborationist activities of Metropolitan Arseny, who has been charged with disseminating information about the location of Defence Forces units and supporting Russian aggression. The court hearing in the case is ongoing, despite the defendant's denial.

Monk Raphael spoke about living conditions: generators are working in the monastery, food is grown, and the kitchen, bakery, and workshops are functioning, despite damage to some buildings. The territory of the lavra is home not only to monks but also to civilians, including bedridden and mobility-impaired people.

Raphael mentioned the dead: on 1 June 2022, during the shelling of the lavra, three people died, later monk Varsonofiy died, and two others were injured. The police investigated the circumstances of the attack.

Despite the threats, the monastery maintains order. During the tour, Raphael showed the forge where monk Spiridon works, as well as the prosforia (bread-baking room). When asked about the apocalyptic nature of the situation, the monk referred to the story of Jonah, saying:

«Тому для нас апокаліпсис – це про те, що залежить від того, як ми себе будемо поводити» (So for us, the apocalypse is about what depends on how we will behave).

Missing persons and hope at Artem's height

The report ended at a height near the monument to Artem. Journalists recalled the story of 40-year-old Oleksandr, who had a disability since childhood and lived with his mother near the city centre. In November last year, before the onset of frosts, he went missing without a trace. Locals consider this situation inexplicable.

A woman providing humanitarian aid reported that the missing man's mother now lives in the lavra, but journalists were unable to meet with her.

Suspicions and beliefs about the whereabouts of the missing diverge and scale, similar to the horizons of Sviatohirshchyna, which unfold from the height of the monument to Artem.

Head of the administration Volodymyr Rybalkin continues to inform the public about the current situation in the community; he published his latest report at the end of the second decade of October.