Iryna Minkovska from Kharkov wants European countries to help defend Ukraine’s airspace. When Russia is unable to take the city by ground attack, it will resort to bombing civilian targets, he says.
Before the Russian invasion, Kharkiv Iryna Minkovska worked in a non-governmental organization developing education and, among other things, in reforming secondary education.
When Russia started an open war, she and her husband joined Ukraine’s regional defense forces. Because they have no war experience, they help with logistics and media contacts, among other things.
– They really wanted to take Kharkov in one day but have not succeeded in even a week, Iryna Minkovska says of the Russian troops.
Minkovska tells News that Tuesday and Wednesday were hard days in Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine. The city center was badly damaged.
– Even as I speak, I hear the sounds of bombs from other parts of the city, he said on Thursday.
Minkovska says the firing on Thursday was lighter than in previous days, but no one knows what will happen at night.
Kharkiv is the second largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1.5 million. It is estimated that up to 400,000 people could leave the city at the foot of the war.
Iryna Minkovska estimates that the situation in Kharkov is not as bad as in the besieged Mariupol coast on the Azov Sea.
According to Minkovska, the situation is difficult, but there is no humanitarian catastrophe in the city yet: water supply and heating have been kept in operation.
Help is welcome in the air
When Russia is unable to take over Kharkov with a ground attack, it will resort to civilian bombing, Minkovska says.
– Our only weak point is our airspace, Minkovska says.
He hopes that Ukraine will receive help from European leaders to protect airspace.
– We are strong in the country now because we have a lot of partners and Europe has now given us good weapons and our soldiers are professionals, Minkovska says.
– So theirs [venäläisten] its only weapon is to bomb civilian infrastructure.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi has called on the West for help in establishing a no-fly zone.
“People don’t panic”
On Wednesday, many inmates in the city made the departure decision after the bombing and firing of Russian troops.
It has still been possible to leave Kharkov by train. Traveling by car is more dangerous because you can’t know for sure if you’re facing Russian troops.
– People who still stay here do not panic, Minkovska says.
Those who remain in the city try to help in every way, by transporting supplies, baking bread for the army.
– Many help the army, regional defense and civilians. No one wants a humanitarian catastrophe to happen here, Minkovska says.
At first the firing took place during the day but then more and more at night.
– I think it was specifically designed to make people panic.
Now many Kharkov residents live underground, in subway corridors or even in bunkers inherited from World War II.
Of course, they are not in very good condition and they are not very comfortable, Minkovska says.
Minkovska says that the Russian leader Vladimir Putin the attack ordered was a surprise to those in Kharkov who were oriented towards Russian music, culture, sports, politics. They do not understand why this is happening.
– I have always read a lot of Ukrainian history, so I knew that one day this could happen, Minkovska says.
Minkovska says that the people of Kharkov may be tired and scared but no one wants to give up on Russia.