“I can’t describe how mentally exhausting it’s to merely wonder about what’s going on in the world while constantly hearing the explosions even in the bloody bathroom. We’re holding up, though, trying to maintain and keep everything tidy and ready for any possible emergency.”
Special and Exclusive to USAfrica and USAfricaonline.com, first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet
Nigerian in Ukraine, Justin Esiobu, reports situation is “grave”.
“Good” afternoon here in Ukraine. Sorry if I made you worry (in direct response to the initial conatct and inquiry made about his safety by USAfrica Publisher Chido Nwangwu on Tuesday March 1, 2022— and since the Russian invasion of Ukraine).
Today’s morning, we’ve been cut off from internet connection, plus we still don’t have mobile network in approximately 2-3 km around the area where I live: right now I’m typing and sending this message standing right on the window having grasped at least a small bit of network enough to send a message (I found out about this “trick” only a few moments ago by trying literally everything to reach the outside world without exposing myself to the dangers of the streets).
Nevertheless, we still have access to water, electricity and food – enough at least for today and maybe tomorrow.
The view from my window is grave: in a more than a 500 thousand-inhabitant district, it is absolutely dark and still – with the only exception being a full-sky glimmering because of bombings far away from us (far away because we can’t hear anything, but it’s still visible).
I can’t describe how mentally exhausting it’s to merely wonder about what’s going on in the world while constantly hearing the explosions even in the bloody bathroom. We’re holding up, though, trying to maintain and keep everything tidy and ready for any possible emergency.
I won’t try my luck anymore in attempts to get to the Internet, so most likely I won’t get back to you today. However, early tomorrow morning, approximately at 6am EET (Eastern European Time), we’ll go to a grocery shop – in the area where mobile network at least somewhat better than it’s in here….
•Justin Esiobu is a Nigerian law student in Kharkiv.
Russia’s destruction of Ukraine and South Africa’s betrayal of Mandela. By Chido Nwangwu
