Oleksander and Lyudmila Murenets spend more time together in an underground bunker in war-ravaged eastern Ukraine than at any other time in their four-decade marriage.
The stress is beginning to manifest.
Oleksander, 68, sneered at Lyudmila, 66, as she attempted to explain how much water is required to produce homemade vodka on a recent morning.
Later, when Lyudmila corrected his attempt to say “thank you” to an international guest, Oleksander abruptly cut her off. He said, “Who is the head of this household?”
After ten months in the tiny basement of their apartment building in Siversk, a former front-line town that was almost completely shelled and where windows still shake day and night from artillery booms, these flare-ups have become commonplace.
Additionally, Germany and the United States will ship 40 armored trucks to Ukraine.
“We used to spend most of our time at work and only saw each other in the evening. Before the conflict, Oleksander, who maintained railroad carriages, stated, “Now we quarrel more.”
Sometimes I tell her to be quiet, but she doesn’t listen.
Theirs is hardly the only marriage in eastern Ukraine that has failed due to the rigors of conflict.
In the eastern Donbas region, the mix of conflict and severe winter weather forces couples to spend extended amounts of time in close proximity, hurting some relationships while strengthening others.
Siversk, a mining town surrounded by undulating farmland, was subjected to persistent missile and rocket bombardment by Russian forces last summer, but they were unable to conquer it.
Also see: President announces “all-out war” after Somalian blast kills nine
The Ukrainians were able to drive them out, but their homes, schools, and factories are in ruins today, and the majority of the town’s pre-war population of 12,000 has left.
In basement shelters such as the one used by Oleksander and Lyudmila, the incessant sound of firing from the front line, which is around 10 kilometers (6 miles) to the east, serves as a reminder that Siversk remains within artillery range.
The pair must also contend with a lack of phone service, restricted access to potable water, and the fact that their primary source of heat is a woodstove.
“During the summer, we prepared meals in the street. “It was always frightening, but at least we could go outside,” said Lyudmila.
Due to the increasing winter weather, she has turned to science fiction literature as a mental escape, as well as a respite from her husband’s conflicts.
“It’s convenient that our flat is nearby,” she added, referring to the second floor. “I can easily obtain a second book”
Oleksander and Tamara Sirenko have a different means of relieving stress: chopping and storing firewood, which they require in abundance.
However, the eight months they have lived in a basement shelter have taken a toll on them.
“At first, it was challenging to be continuously together, together, and together again. Oleksander stated, “As we say, if you eat porridge every day, you’ll desire soup in a few days.”
“The time we spent in the basement did not bring us closer together,” he laughed, pointing to their separate twin beds.
Ukraine strike in Russia
According to Russia, the dead toll from the Ukraine strike has risen to 89. Image via Twitter/Lovable Daniels
Our beds remain the same as before.
Adopting a more solemn tone, he remarked that life would be considerably darker without Tamara’s companionship.
“At least there is another person in the basement, even if she is only muttering,” he remarked.
“Otherwise, you sit here like a deaf-mute.”
He takes obvious satisfaction in the care he offers for his diabetic wife, whose swollen leg requires daily bandaging.
“I never allow my wife the chance to sag. “I shield her so that she experiences less war and anguish,” he added.
“She knows I’m a prankster. I make jokes with everyone, whether or not there is a conflict. I don’t let her get in a foul mood.”
Tamara agreed and stated, “I couldn’t do it on my own.”
They freely accept, despite their disagreements, that they are far luckier than others whose spouses perished in the war.
Iryna Pavlova, 56, spent the weekend across town attempting to acquire a death certificate for her husband, Viktor.
In July, he was killed in a cluster bomb assault on Siversk, after she had fled to safety in western Ukraine, where she continues to reside.
“It’s really difficult for me,” she wept as she described her first trip home after his passing to AFP.
“He is aware of my presence,” she stated.
“I wish to remain close to him.”
Through Robbie Corey-Boulet © Agence France-Presse
»Marriages and family structures are being tested in war-torn Ukraine«