Ukraine, Tatiana mother and her little Lisa, struck to the eye, become a symbol of the attack of Sumy: “Our children know bombs and fear”

Lisa, two and a half years old, does not stop saying: “Boom, boom, mom boom”and cries often, even now that it is at home. She returned with her mother, Tatiana Pogorelova, 31 years old, because at least the dog can help her calm down. The hospital was too much. Too much pain for such a small girl who saw death closely, close in her mother’s arms on a red bus in the center of Sumy, the Ukrainian city bombed by Moscow on Palm Sunday.

This young woman who tries to calm her terrified girl with a bloody face has become the symbol of that attack. “There were many people on the bus, especially the elderly. They had left me a seat and kept Lisa in my arms. Maybe this has saved us», He told Republic. «I heard the sound of a ballistic missile. By now I recognize it: it’s like a rustle. And then the explosion. I didn’t understand anything anymore, I was stunned. But I took Lisa and ran out. Around me car in flames, people on the ground. The chaos. Terror ».

Once safe, he asked his daughter to close the eye. “He replied crying:” Mom boom, they struck me “.” Shortly afterwards the husband arrived, who brought them to the hospital. The doctors reassured Tatiana: the eye is not compromised. But the wounds of the soul are another thing: those are not known when they will heal. «I checked that it had no damage to the belly, in the back. But she cried constantly. So I decided to take her home. He continues to repeat: “Boom Boom”. If he hears a noise he immediately runs in the corridor: he knows he has to get there. At the home of the grandparents he already knows in which room to hide. And if we are in the park, it happens the same. He says: “Flying, Bang”. All Sumy’s children know bombs. And they know fear “

On the morning of the attack, the weather was beautiful and there were many families on the street. “It’s the time when mothers go out with children before lunch. A friend of mine had gone to get her son at the Philharmonic, next to it. She died in the attack. There are no words ».

Lisa is now afraid of the bus. «He says no, no, no. He doesn’t want to go up anymore ». Tatiana is confused, in shock. “In those moments you only think about saving your daughter. Then I saw the images on the news, and I collapsed on me. I understood that we could die too. I take antidepressants. You have to maintain a minimum of control, to make your daughter feel safe. But living here means living together every day with bombs, explosions, friends who die ». When he wonders if he wants to leave Sumy, he replies: «At this moment I am so stressed that I would go everywhere. But I don’t know if we’ll do it ».

They say there was a award ceremony for the military in the Congress Center. “I heard it, I don’t know if it’s true, but I only say one thing: there are no excuses for the Russians. What they are doing is more than inhuman».