Former Miss Ukraine, Veronika Didusenko thanks the people of Kosovo for their support – recounts the moments of terror from the war

KLIKONI KËTU NËSE DËSHIRONI TA LEXONI KËTË INTERVISTË NË SHQIP.

Russian military forces started the invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

Since then, thousands of people have been killed, including many innocent civilians.

Except the casualties, the urban infrastructure in Ukrainian cities has suffered enormous damage from the fierce fighting that are taking place every day.

And of course, those who have suffered and are suffering the war most, are the civilians, who suddenly on the morning of February 24 woke up to the sound of sirens, bombings and gunshots.

Among them are many internationally recognized Ukrainian public figures.

One of them is “Miss Ukraine 2018”, Veronika Didusenko.

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In an exclusive interview with Telegrafi, she recounts the first moments of Russian aggression against the Ukrainian people, the flight from the country with her seven-year-old son and the current situation in the Ukraine.

The famous Ukrainian model believes that this war will end with the victory of Ukraine and that she hopes, as she says, that the ‘criminals’ will be punished.

In this interview, Didusenko also talks about the support of Kosovars given to the Ukrainian people. She says that she is very grateful and that it plays an important role on what direction human civilization and the future will take, including that of Kosovo.

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Telegrafi: It has been more than a month since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, can you tell us where you were in those moments and how did you understand the news?

Veronika Didusenko: It’s been 36 days since Russian terroristic attack against peaceful independent Ukraine. On February 24, my 7-year-old son and I were awakened by sirens and explosions. Kyiv, a city of more than three million people which was asleep, without any formal declaration of war, without any hope for its inhabitants to take shelter, was hit by an enemy bomb. In-between raids, we, along with tens of thousands of other families, tried to get out of the city. Thousands of cars formed a traffic jam on the highway on the way out of Kyiv for many hours. Directly above my head, dozens of Russian helicopters with troops were bombing the Gostomel airfield in their effort to take it.

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Telegrafi: It was reported that you fled with your son, how did you leave Ukraine, what did you travel with?

Veronika Didusenko: I left my apartment in Kyiv with my son and our cat Sheila. It took us 2 days to get to the boarder of Ukraine with Moldova. From Moldova together with my son we drove to Romania to fly to Europe. Unfortunately my son was refused from US Visa and now I’m with him in Switzerland. At press-conference with in Los Angeles on the 8-th of March, which I was a part of, Gloria Allred, worldwide famous attorney appealed to the administration of Joe Biden to issue “humanitarian parole” for Ukrainians, which would allow them after being screened to enter and stay in the United States without a visa, because of this urgent humanitarian crisis.

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Telegrafi: What is the current situation in Ukraine, do you have any family relatives there?

Veronika Didusenko: My mother, my father and my grandmother stayed in Ukraine. Ukrainians are United as never before. Everyone is trying to help to protect our country, it’s freedom and democracy however they can. After bragging that they can capture Kyiv in a few hours, Russians had to shamefully retreat from the Kyiv region suffering heavy losses. What is coming out of the liberated cities is difficult to comprehend. In the once beautiful towns corpses of killed civilians are lying in the streets, some with their hands tied. Russians left behind mass graves, raped women, and traumatized kids. Such cruelty is beyond my understanding. It’s a nightmare. My family stayed in Kyiv. My father is ready to defend Kyiv in the ranks of the territorial defense unit in case of a new threat to the city. My mom is ready to help as a nurse.

Telegrafi: How do you describe the Russian invasion of Ukraine?

Veronika Didusenko: They are barbarians. They come here and they are surprised that people here live so well, people whom they came to “save” and “cure of Nazism” – they see that the standard of living in Ukraine is simply many times better. So they started looting – there were hundreds of cars with loot from the suburbs of Kyiv. They were taking everything, from carpets and washing machines to children’s toys and spoons. They bring that to Belarus which is the collection point for them and they send the loot to the families by express delivery service. We are simply shocked. The entire Ukrainian people are in shock. Because we weren’t ready for anything like that. And then there is something worse. There are numerous reports of dozens if not more women raped by Russian soldiers. Raped in front of their kids. And then killed. I can’t find words to describe what I feel every time I hear a new account of something like this happening.

Telegrafi: Did you ever think this would happen?

Veronika Didusenko: We have been at war with Russia in the east of Ukraine for 8 years. Of course, everyone of us knew about it, but we were not ready for such horrors at all. To be prepared for your city to be bombarded with missiles – you understand that it is impossible to be prepared for this.

Telegrafi: Do you think there will be an end to this war and what will it be?

Veronika Didusenko: All wars eventually end. And this one will end too. It will end with our victory. And with the incredible shame of the entire Russian people, not only before Ukraine but also before the whole world for centuries. I really hope that the criminals will be convicted – as the Nazis were convicted in Nuremberg. We already see statements that “Putin is a war criminal” from the likes of Carla Ponte, the former prosecutor of the UN International Criminal Tribunals for Yugoslavia and Rwanda, who calls for an international arrest warrant of russian president. This is just the beginning.

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Telegrafi: In our state, Kosovo, there has been great support for the people of Ukraine. Have you seen this support and how do you comment on that?

Veronika Didusenko: We see now that the whole world is on the side of Ukraine. Probably, in the entire history of mankind, no nation has ever received more support than Ukraine is receiving now. We are grateful to every Kosovar, every citizen of Kosovo, for their support. Now it’s all about the direction where human civilization will move on. This war, our struggle for freedom will affect everyone’s future, including yours. /Telegrafi/

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