Ukrainian woman knows nothing about her husband's whereabouts - she wants to go back to her home country

Created: 12/11/2022, 8:00 p.m

By: Doris Schmid

A picture from happy days: Anna Smetanjuk with her husband Ivan.

She hasn't had any contact with him since April 12.

© private

War broke out in Ukraine on February 24.

Thousands of people left their homeland in fear for their lives.

They also found refuge in the district.

Our newspaper asked four women to write down their adventures and experiences.

Today: Anna Smetanyuk.

Wolfratshausen - My name is Anna Smetanjuk.

I am 32 years old and I come from Mangush, a village near the city of Mariupol.

I have lived in Mangush all my life, studied and worked in Mariupol.

Husband is an officer in the military

February 24th began for me with phone calls.

No explosions were heard.

But much of the infrastructure had already been destroyed across Ukraine.

My husband Ivan is a military officer.

He and his colleagues immediately set out to occupy the defensive line near the city.

The entire 36th Marine Brigade, in which my husband serves, was the first to take over the defense in mid-February as the shelling from previously occupied areas mounted.

I was able to keep in touch with my husband for a few days.

Then Russian troops jammed the cell phone network and we didn't have a chance to talk to each other.

The Russian tanks were closing in on Mangush and Mariupol.

From March 2nd, due to the shelling, there was no electricity or water.

At 9:40 a.m. that day, two Russian warplanes flew low over a friends house where I was staying at the time.

The ceiling collapsed.

We ran to the basement and stayed there.

Around 11:00 a.m. the population was fired upon by Russian troops with a “hail”.

When we later saw what was done with it, we were horrified.

Bodies lay near the houses, including a six-year-old girl.

Houses were smashed, shops burned down.

A grenade had hit the roof of the apartment my husband and I bought in March 2021.

Mariupol is on fire

After March 2, we watched Russian planes fly into Mariupol every five minutes and drop aerial bombs on houses and civilians.

The city was on fire.

My 85 year old grandmother, my husband and his brothers were there.

I was very upset.

Sometimes I felt like I couldn't breathe.

A few days later, the gas supply was cut off and it was no longer possible to make phone calls.

We fetched water from a well and cooked food over a campfire.

We could hardly sleep because of the loud grenade explosions.

On March 12, I was finally able to make a quick call to my husband.

We had just enough time to tell each other we were alive before the connection was severed.

The Russian military went from house to house conducting a census.

People who supported Ukraine disappeared.

Then they were found dead.

We decided to leave the occupied territory.

On March 21, my friends and I managed to leave the country after passing 19 Russian checkpoints.

I wanted to visit my husband's relatives.

I got there on March 24th.

I was relatively safe and could finally breathe Ukrainian air again.

But on the same day I started bleeding – I was pregnant.

Doctors examined me and informed me that I had lost the child.

Also interesting: Family returns to Ukraine: "Thank you for the open hearts"

also read

Referendum on the Marienbrunnen: The first results are clear

READ

"Sternmarsch Oberland": This is the balance sheet drawn by the Wolfratshausen police

READ

Cancer patient Denis lost his last fight - fate caused great dismay

READ

Air bomb in Geretsried defused - people are allowed to go home

READ

Referendums in Wolfratshausen: polling stations open until 6 p.m

READ

Fancy a journey of discovery?

My space

At the end of March my husband managed to call me.

He told me to go to his mother in Germany immediately.

On April 1st I left Ukraine for Germany.

I found accommodation in the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen and now live in Wolfratshausen.

Man and comrades surrounded by Russian troops

April 12th was just terrible for our whole family.

My husband called me and said that while he was waiting with his comrades at the Mariupol Metallurgical Plant, he was surrounded and captured by Russian troops.

To this day we do not know his fate or that of his comrades.

Every day I contact various organizations, write inquiries, look on Russian websites.

But I can't find any reference to my husband anywhere.

Now I, along with other relatives of prisoners of war, help the military in Ukraine.

We buy thermal underwear, socks and hats, and we finance vehicle maintenance.

We also help the wounded in hospitals with clothing and hygiene items.

support for prisoners of war

I feel good in Wolfratshausen.

I thank the German government for the help and support I receive.

But I want to return to Ukraine as soon as possible.

My country is my home.

And I'm very worried about my husband.

nope

Our Wolfratshausen-Geretsried newsletter keeps you regularly informed about all the important stories from your region.

Sign up here.