For Lydia Korostelova, Russia’s brutal invasion of her native Ukraine has hit home in ways she could never have imagined.
Korostelova – a 23-year-old law student at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. – joined an April 7 panel discussion there on “Ukraine: An Inside Perspective.” With harrowing details, she described how the war had impacted Huliaipole, her hometown in eastern Ukraine that is about 90 miles from the besieged city of Mariupol and near the war-torn Donbas region.
“People are leaving their homes, leaving everything behind,” she said, explaining that in the invasion’s first six weeks, Huliaipole’s population had gone from 13,000 to only about 2,000 remaining residents.
A recent New York Times article about Huliaipole quoted a 64-year-0ld woman sheltering in a basement of the town’s hospital who said life there now is “like living in a horror movie,” and it described how a school bus driver now zig-zags his old bus over cratered roads to ferry water and food back to the town from a nearby city.
For Korostelova, who has been receiving eyewitness accounts from family members and friends back in Ukraine, that horror is all too real.
“They (the Russians) are killing Ukrainian civilians every day,” said Korostelova, whose presentation included a series of photos of bombed homes, markets, roadways and railroad tracks, and a centuries old-church with its bell tower in ruins.
The Catholic University student described how her hometown has been without power and water since March 2, as residents hide from constant bombings and artillery fire.
“All this time, people are surviving how they can,” she said, and then she told how some residents have not made it, including a friend’s grandmother who went outside to breathe fresh air after being in hiding, and then was killed when a bomb fell in her backyard.
“Some people have no ability to bury loved ones, so they’re forced to bury them in their gardens or back yards,” Korostelova said, adding that in villages near her hometown, young women have reportedly been kidnapped and raped by Russian troops.
Before the war in Ukraine, her father and older brother worked in the agriculture business, and her mother was an elementary school teacher.
Korostelova then showed a picture that she took of her family while she was at home during Christmas break. “It’s the last I have of that kind,” she said.
Then she spoke words of another horror from back home in Ukraine.
“My brother, he’s supposed to turn 25 on April 17, but he won’t, because he was killed on March 9,” she said, her voice breaking. “He was a very patriotic, dedicated young man.”
Korostelova noted how her father and brother had stayed in the city, helping how they could, including getting water to residents and assisting with other relief and defense efforts.
In an emotional voice, she explained how her brother Yevhenii died.
“He and his friends, who also died, they were driving in a car outside my hometown to deliver humanitarian aid to people in the nearest village. It was a volunteer mission, they were never involved in any military practices, it was just helping people to survive, and the road was mined,” she said.
After being killed by the blast, her brother had to be buried that day.
Remembering her brother, who was called Zhenya, she said, “He was very bright. He was getting his Ph.D. in agriculture. He was published, he was traveling around the world, doing great things.”
Later in an email interview, Korostelova said her brother “was and remains a great example of selflessness and courageous dedication to his beliefs and justice.”
“He was very hard-working and dedicated all his time to his studies and his efforts to the prosperity of his community. He dedicated his whole adult life to becoming the best in his field,” she said.
Korostelova said Zhenya’s example taught her the importance of setting goals that extend beyond her own personal interests.
“I hope one day I will be able to get at least close to the level of his determination, perseverance, and fearless loyalty to his ideals. He never backed up when he saw a challenge as long as he was able to further and protect his values,” she said. “I hope one day, I will be able to be as brave and resilient as he was. During his 25 years, he made a huge difference in his community and influenced many lives, including mine.”
The CUA law student had begun her presentation with a video clip of a man from her home region whom she knows, who described how he had stayed behind to defend his country after sending his wife and children to safety in France.
“This war changed everything,” said the man, who was wearing military fatigues and was standing in front of what appeared to be a bombed-out apartment building. The man explained, “We are fighting for freedom, for our independence, for our future, for the future of our children.”
When asked after her presentation how she has been able to continue on with her life while all this has been happening back home in Ukraine, Korostelova said, “I’m seeing my parents and how strong they are, and how they’re keeping their spirit up… They’re living in this horror, so I feel like, if they can do it, I can do it.”
Explaining why she felt it was important for her to speak out about what’s happening in Ukraine, Korostelova said, “Even if it’s painful to talk about, I think it needs to be talked about.”
As she concluded her talk, the CUA student said, “I just hope that if I can do it, and if my family can do it, that everybody else can find the strength and help with whatever they can to stop this unfair and very cruel conflict.”
Facing the audience of students, faculty members and guests in that Catholic University lecture hall, Korostelova spoke about her hopes for the future.
“I want to graduate from the Columbus School of Law (here), and make this world better, and make my brother proud,” she said.
Then another panelist at that discussion, Father Peter Galadza, a Ukrainian Catholic priest from Canada who is a visiting professor teaching liturgy at Catholic University, led the people there in chanting a traditional Ukrainian prayer for the deceased, for Lydia Korostelova’s beloved older brother Zhenya who died one month earlier. The priest explained that the prayer was that Zhenya would remain in God’s love, for all eternity.
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