Key facts
- Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian families are separated by the war.
- Yevheniy Borysenko, a soldier, serves in the Donetsk region.
- His wife, Alina, and their two daughters live in Boryspil, near Kyiv.
- Russian air attacks have escalated, posing a growing threat to civilians.
- An apartment block near the family's home was damaged in a recent attack.
Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian families are separated by the ongoing war, facing dangers both on the front lines and in cities far from combat zones due to escalating Russian missile and drone attacks. Yevheniy Borysenko, a soldier in the 43rd Separate Artillery Brigade in the contested Donetsk region, recently had to cut short a video call with his two-year-old daughter, Snizhana, due to nearby explosions. His wife, Alina, lives with Snizhana and her 11-year-old daughter from a previous marriage, Yelyzaveta, in Boryspil, southeast of Kyiv. Alina expressed her constant worry for her husband and her desire to stay close to her family despite the growing threat of air attacks, which recently damaged an apartment block near their home. Yevheniy shared his concern for his children hearing explosions, noting that his wife tries to explain them away as thunderstorms, but his younger daughter recognizes the sounds as 'bang-bang'. Despite the risks, Alina is determined to remain in Boryspil, stating her desire to stay where her family is.