Halyna Popriadukhina, a 65-year-old survivor of the ongoing war in Ukraine, expressed her deep frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, wishing to tear him apart with her bare hands. She lamented her repeated displacements due to the conflict, having been forced to flee her home in the eastern region of Donbas three times in the last four years. Currently residing in central Ukraine, Halyna has been tirelessly working with other women to produce camouflage nets for the army as a means to contribute to the war effort and remain connected to her community.

Despite the tremendous hardship and the loss of her son, who has been missing in action since November 2023, Halyna holds onto hope. She believes that her son is still alive, clinging to this belief as a source of strength to persevere through the challenges of internal displacement. The Ukrainian authorities have provided her with housing far from her original home, yet the emotional toll of leaving her life behind for safety persists, as she has become one of the nearly 4 million internally displaced persons in Ukraine who have fled conflict zones seeking refuge.

Halyna's story not only highlights the personal impacts of the war but also reflects widespread sentiments among Ukrainians regarding their desire for victory over the aggressor. The pain of lost relatives and the longing for peace and normalcy resonates deeply in her accounts of survival and strength amid devastation, showcasing the human cost of the ongoing war in Ukraine against the backdrop of an extensive humanitarian crisis.