Stories from Kharkiv #1

Aiuna Morozova, who survived under the rubble of the Kharkiv regional administration after a rocket attack on March 1, continues her service in the volunteer formation of the The Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

By Yryna Baryshevska
Media and Communication Specialist

Footage of the explosion after a rocket attack in the building of the Kharkiv regional Administration was seen by the whole world. At that moment on March 1, 2022, Aiuna Morozova was there. She is a the director of the Specialized Children's and Youth Sports School of the Olympic swimming reserve "Spartak", the senior teacher of the Kharkiv Professional School of Sports, the head of the Swimming Federation of Ukraine in the Kharkiv region.

At the end of February, the woman could not remain aloof from the problems of her country and began to help the warriors as much as she could - making them tea and coffee. Doctors and rescuers called her lucky: she not only survived under the rubble, but also remained intact. For almost four hours, she lay on her back almost motionless and could only move part of her leg from the knee. With it, she used it to tap out the "call" of the "Metalist" football team, which signaled to the rescuers that she was alive and needed help.

If time could be turned back, now, on the eve of the New Year, Aiuna Morozova would be preparing for the championship of the school and would hold a coaching meeting, and then hug her son and go to the festive bustle. Instead, now she is looking for things necessary for her unit: the athlete and leader became a volunteer of the 127th brigade of the Territorial Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.This year, he rarely comes to the «Akvarena» swimming pool, where the famous swimming school is based, and always feels pain. Earlier, children's laughter always sounded in this place and it was very crowded, all licensed championships of Ukraine for international starts were held here, this pool has an Olympic standard - 50 by 25 meters. Athletes say that the water here is light and even easier to breathe than in other places. And after several hits, the house was damaged, the water was drained from the pool, and now you can see broken glass and yellowed tiles instead of focused athletes on the start and excited fans in the stands.

Aiuna, do you often remember the time you had to live under the rubble?

In recent months, I began to mention it often. After the collapse, until the summer, the memory probably blocked this event, then the memories began to appear, when I began to drive past the building of the regional administration. For the first months, I avoided driving near that place, all the nearby streets, so as not to look there. And now I avoid.

You had surgery. How do you feel now?

I'm lucky, the rescuers told me. Despite everything, I remained intact. There was a glass stuck in my eyebrow, I didn't understand what it was for a week, but when the bruises and swelling from the injury subsided, I realized that there was something there, the doctors removed it under local anesthesia. There were deep cuts on the back and thighs, unfortunately, staphylococcus appeared from the cuts, it had to be treated with antibiotics for a long time.

What helped and helps you recover psychologically after those events?

Being busy helps psychologically, I keep myself busy specifically so that I don't have free time to relax, because when I'm alone with all this, panic attacks begin.

Have your values ​​changed after March 1?

It seems to me that I became calmer, I began to appreciate every minute, it is so important, every minute when I am with my son, when I can see him, it is important, really important. I understand very well that the next minute may not be, enjoy every minute now.

How did you and your husband decide to join the ranks of The Territorial Defence Forces?

As soon as my son Luka crossed the border and I learned that he was in Poland and going to Lithuania, that he was safe and with his father, my husband and I donated blood and on February 26 we were already at the administration. There I prepared tea and coffee for the warriors. We did not tell anyone that we went to The Territorial Defence Forces. We both know the nature of the parents, so they didn't tell anyone, only friends.

What do you have to do now instead of the usual peacetime New Year's activities?

I am responsible for supplies in the division, I try to cover the urgent needs: now it is power banks, gloves, I am engaged in searching for all the necessary ammunition, sometimes we even try to organize gifts, for example, for St. Nicholas.

Do you often visit the «Akvarena» pool?

I go to «Akvarena» out of necessity, it is always a psychological test, because the pool for me is an association with a calm, measured life. With children's laughter, my grumbling that the swimmers should wear caps and long socks before going outside in winter, fasten them, etc., but now it is a humanitarian headquarters, alive, but in a different direction, now it is not a temple of sports, and it hurts me a lot, as well as other coaches.

How does the house survive the winter?

I don't know how the house will survive the winter, I'm not a technician, but it must be difficult, it's very cold there.

How are athletes? Did everyone find the training base?

Athletes are in the majority abroad, in the minority - in Ukraine, as much as I had enough strength and acquaintances, we helped the maximum number of people. Swimming is an individual sport, it is easy to accommodate one child, but in a family there is a mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, brothers and sisters, it is more difficult. After all, there were organizations that were ready to accept children, but not the whole family. Some of the children have returned to western Ukraine and are training there.

What do trainers do?

Trainers are engaged in volunteer work, who help neighbors, two have left. The majority of «Spartacus» and the school in Kharkiv, mainly in Kharkiv and in contact with their athletes and support athletes.

Do you plan to continue to devote your life to sport, or are you inclined to military service?

I sincerely miss peaceful activities. The view on events and the attitude towards doing things have changed, I will need time to revise my attitude towards a peaceful life, but I love sports very much and would like to continue to do it, but the question is in what guise.

Sometimes it seems to me that military service is interesting to me due to my character, but I am responsible for employees, I have a responsibility to athletes, parents, we are one big family, and in any case I will stay in sports as much as I can, I will help, you have to think about the financial security of the school, for the coaches to have salaries, for the school to become communal property, how to protect and save the school from being disbanded, because the war period, the war changes views on sports and optimization is ahead, and I believe that we have no one in the region unite, we are the only and very titled swimming school.

What do you dream about?

I dream of a swimming pool for «Spartak». To have our new whole and warm swimming pool, 50 meters, we really need it, we seem to be left without a home, like homeless people. I firmly believe in the victory of Ukraine, in humanity, the war revealed different sides in people, I was surprised how many people selflessly helped others, I discovered true sincere volunteerism, strangers from different countries help selflessly, although sometimes loved ones behaved disgustingly. I hope that we and our children will draw worthy conclusions from this horror that is happening. Now I care more about the general and dream not about personal - about victory for the country.