From: Mariia Mykhaliyk (1192nd day)
As the train pulls away from Kyiv to the sound of a patriotic song, my heart aches. Familiar sights of my beloved city blur past the window, and once again, another long journey takes me away from my hurting homeland.
Ahead are nights without the sound of drones or explosions — a strange kind of peace. Yet I will keep the air raid notifications on my phone, so I know when my family, and millions of other Ukrainian families, come under attack.
Before the war, I hadn’t traveled by train in decades. Now, it’s become the only way to begin any journey — the skies over Ukraine remain closed to commercial flights.
The train has become a symbol of both separation and resilience. A reminder of all we’ve lost, and all we still carry with us.
Voice of Ukraine 