"Crown" in the Ukraine

In a hail of missiles: silent hope for peace

Four days before Christmas, a rocket detonated in the middle of Kiev.(Bild: EPA)

Russia continues to put Ukraine in mortal fear with a constant hail of missiles: pure psychological terror! The longing for an end to the third winter of war was palpable at the "Krone" site visit.

Walls bursting, high-rise buildings and cars on fire, people screaming in despair in the middle of Kiev - one passer-by dies, ten seriously injured. Four days before Christmas Eve, a rocket has detonated in the Ukrainian capital.

Terrified, journalists accompanying a Caritas mission through Ukraine look at the pictures on their smartphones. Only a short time ago, some had been surprised by the extremely strict security precautions - i.e. the immediate need to seek shelter in an air raid shelter in the event of a missile alert.

At Maidan, the historic center of Kiev, Irina commemorates fallen soldiers.(Bild: Christoph Matzl)

A winter flower as a symbol of peace(Bild: Christoph Matzl)

Now, however, the train back to Austria is filled with shock.

Infernal machine explodes in the middle of Kiev's city center
The infernal machine exploded just 1.2 kilometers from our hotel, from which we checked out twelve hours ago. While we roll back to our safe and neutral home in warm train cars, the Ukrainians continue to suffer from the psychological terror: the destruction and fear that Russian missiles and drones spread like silent death from the air.

Since the war of aggression began three years ago, there have been 50,000 air alerts! 50,000 times panic and praying for survival.

At best, missile alerts are evil psychological terror, at worst they mean death, injury and suffering.

Caritas-Direktor Klaus Schwertner

Particularly harrowing: a sneaky missile hail on a children's hospital on July 8. "Chaos and tears during the evacuation of the children," says Daria, a member of staff at the hospital.

Caritas is helping on the ground with mobile soup and wood deliveries, among other things.(Bild: Christoph Matzl)

Despite the war crimes, the resilience of many Ukrainians remains unbroken - even though there are also 40,000 civilian victims to mourn. This can be felt at the memorial to the tens of thousands who died on the Maidan. Almost every family has a father, brother or son to mourn.

These two Ukrainian women have been preparing sandwiches for the soldiers fighting in the trenches for months.(Bild: Christoph Matzl)

Anatoli Alexandrovic (78) ...(Bild: Christoph Matzl)

... and former submarine sailor Igor S. (72) are with the soldiers in their thoughts and prayers.(Bild: Christoph Matzl)

Pensioners also pray for the end of the war winter
In a care center, women process bread into long-life field provisions for the soldiers. And a leg amputee pours candles as lighting for the trenches.

"Krone" reporter Matzl shakes the hand of a Ukrainian soldier. His motto: "We will never give up!"(Bild: Christoph Matzl)

Near a bombed-out settlement in Borodjanka, refugees are living in barracks. One of them is the former submarine sailor Igor (72). "Unfortunately, I'm already too old for the army. I'd show the Russians!" he says, ready to fight.

In fact, he and his wife are at war against the cold: at minus 20 degrees, there is no survival without a stove. It is only thanks to wood deliveries from Caritas that the pensioner couple have not yet frozen to death.

Caritas help in the third winter of war

• Deliveries of wood to those in need save them from freezing to death.
• Mobile soup kitchens as a life raft for people fleeing the war.
• Psychosocial care for children and civilians traumatized by the war.
• DONATION ACCOUNT: BIC: GIBAATWWXXX IBAN: AT23 2011 1000 0123 4560 Keyword: Ukraine emergency aid

Anatoli Alexandrovic (78) also owes his life to the charitable helpers. He has been trapped in his apartment for five years, unable to walk. Like millions of his compatriots, he prays for an end to the winter of war.