On This Day, 10 Years Ago, Russian Occupation Forces, Namely The "Oplot" Brigade, In An Act Of Terrorism,

On this day, 10 years ago, russian occupation forces, namely the "Oplot" brigade, in an act of terrorism, fired a Grad missile at a Ukrainian checkpoint near Volnovakha when there was a passenger bus. Twelve Ukrainian civilians were killed, and 18 were injured. Russia never admitted guilt or paid for the crimes, the consequences and continuation of which we see today.

This story is more personal for me because I was on that same bus earlier that day, heading from Donetsk city to Volnovakha. If, for some reason, I’d decided to return that day, I could have been one of the victims.

I had to pass by the remnants of the bus a few days later, which was horrifying. Subconsciously, I was expecting this to happen again, only this time to the bus I was in. It didn’t, and I’m still here. Although drones flying above my roof remind me every day that it could be any of us, any time, as long as russia exists.

It wasn’t even the only terrorist act by Russia that felt too close to me. But I’ve talked about this before.

Anyhow, later they completely isolated the russian-controlled (annexed) part of the Donetsk oblast from the rest of Ukraine, banning public transport (like these buses) at first and then essentially banning even smaller private mini-buses, allowing only cars through the checkpoints (to profit from bribes). Then, when covid happened, they banned all civilian movement through the checkpoints, allowing it only with special passes that were impossible to get. So Ukrainians, born and raised in Ukraine, to travel from one Ukrainian (illegally occupied by Russia) city to another, would have to go through russia... if they could.

The world didn't care then - when they were killing us, separating families, isolating us, re-educating, forcing us to get russian citizenships, etc. Now, ten years later, they’re doing the same things on a much bigger scale. If Ukraine falls, they will move forward. They will never stop.