Ukrainian war‑weary find peace beside frontline lake.
Sloviansk Lakeside: Finding Calm in the Midst of Conflict
Normal Life Continues Near the Front
Despite Russian troops advancing toward Sloviansk, the lakeside remains a quiet oasis where most elderly residents who stayed behind can enjoy a slice of peace. A 67‑year‑old woman, Genya Ustimenko, was more focused on sharing a plum from her plastic bag than on the roar of a fighter jet overhead.
Peaceful Moments Amid Airborne Threats
- Ustimenko told AFP: “Take some of my plums… This one is the best – the largest!” While the jet’s noise deafened everyone, beachgoers shrugged or shaded their eyes.
- The lakeside hosts 53,000 residents after half the city fled, and the small town’s boats and huts offer respite.
Psychological Coping in a War Zone
Omar Salih Rasheed, ICRC Mental Health Coordinator, noted that civilians often seek tiny comforts, even while explosions echo. “People always look to adapt,” Rasheed said, “but not everyone is fine.”
After fighting stops, he expects mental‑health needs to grow, yet the war continues, and “communities must enjoy the little moments they can.”
Barbers and Beaches: A Daily Routine
- Vyacheslav Shatalov, 61, runs a nautical‑themed bar. He said people might scatter when explosions sound but return later: “If they left in the morning, they’ll be back by the evening to relax.”
- Shatalov’s wall, a giant ship wheel, offers a visual escape while Coldplay blares from the radio.
Prepared Shelters but Little Use
Mariana Rebets, 37, noted the white wooden huts and a concrete shelter that have never seen use. “If the alarm rings and we see smoke, we’ll follow what people do,” she said, adding a personal anecdote: “My husband told us to dive every time something flies over the lake.”
Legacy and Loss
Ustimenko’s family left the city; she gazed at the water where her grandchildren once learned to swim. “Now they’re not here. No one is here. We come here on our own, we look and remember, we rejoice,” she said, underscoring how the remaining residents preserve moments of joy despite ongoing conflict.
Key Takeaways
Solar’s lakeside illustrates how ordinary residents maintain quiet moments in daily life, even as Russian forces threaten. These small comforts serve as psychological resilience against the continuous war backdrop.
