Voice of Ukraine

From Maia Mikhaluk in Kyiv: 243rd day of ruzzian invasion. Blackouts are now a part of our daily routine. They are supposed to be according to the schedule but so far they seem to be random. At any other time I imagine people would be very frustrated, but right now we all think, if this is the worst we have to deal with, it’s ok.

Briana actually likes these blackouts. Usually it means that her parents would have more time to play with her. Today it meant that I also had time and I went with Sasha and Bria for a walk. It was a cloudy but warm day and the fall colors of trees added a sense of brightness to the day even without sunshine.

At one point I was carrying Briana in my arms and doing a running commentary on everything we were seeing. From a distance, I saw this billboard that you will see in the first picture. “Look, Bri, there is a baby.” My eyesight is not as good as Sasha’s. Sasha corrected me that it was not a baby but a doll with a mine inside of it. The billboard was warning children not to touch toys that might have mines in them. When we got closer and I saw details of that billboard, it gave me goosebumps. The cases of kids exploding on mines hidden inside of toys, or in playgrounds are not that infrequent.

Think of a man, a soldier who booby traps a toy knowing well whose attention this toy will attract, knowing well who the victim will be!

Booby-trapped toys are the essence of ruzzian army, cowardly and cruel, devoid even of basic human instincts, not to mention the complete absence of heart and soul.

God, protect our children!