Oleksandr Karavaev Sr., the 62-year-old father of Dynamo Kyiv defender and the Ukrainian national team, who was with his family in Kherson from the first to the last day of the Russian occupation, told how his life and the lives of his relatives were during that period.
The Karavaev family— Mr. Oleksandr, the whole of Ukraine was very emotionally happy with the liberation of the city. What was the perception of this event among the residents of Kherson, who were under occupation for many months?
— We believed in the Armed Forces, but we did not expect that the release would be so bright and fast. How did you celebrate? We sat down with the men, drank a glass each for our release. The Ukrainian military also visited us and had a heart-to-heart conversation.
However, the situation in Kherson is very difficult now: there is no electricity, heating, or water. There is gas, so it is a little easier for houses with gas stoves. We have a 10-story building and electric stoves. Someone has to cook food in the courtyards on a bonfire. About 15 percent of the residents are left in our building. Most are elderly.
But the city is alive, people get used to everything. The authorities promise to supply electricity next week. They are pulling from Mykolaiv. Today I spoke with the municipal services, the process started. A connection appeared, people began to communicate with each other. Volunteers brought generators, we now have the ability to charge phones. Sasha called an hour ago, asking how to help. We don't have Internet yet.
— Let's go back to the events of February 24. Many were surprised that you and your family did not evacuate. Didn't the son offer his help in this matter?
— Of course, I offered. But at that time, the wife of Roman's eldest son was seven months pregnant. I didn't want to go. Then granddaughter Solomiya was born. At that time, it was possible to leave through the Russian-occupied Crimea. Neither I nor my family wanted to do this.
— Were you not afraid that the occupation authorities would come to you and offer cooperation?
— In May, the Russian police came to our house in Kherson. But not by me. They broke into the apartments of two of our servicemen. They and their families were no longer in Kherson. One of the young men was taken to the basement for pro-Ukrainian speech. Someone handed it in. They stayed there for three weeks, straightened the nose. But they let him go. He left Kherson within a week.
Thoughts that might come to me arose. Especially when the Ukrainian press wrote that Karavaev's parents remained in the occupation. In my opinion, this news was not appropriate - I throw a stone at your colleagues. I once again tried not to drive around the city so as not to run into roadblocks where documents were checked.
— At the same time, you refused to even put a Russian card in your mobile phone.
— Some of my acquaintances told me: "Sasha, why don't you put a Russian number on your phone, don't take food rations from the Russians, no one will punish you for that." I have a different mindset. So that I, the father of a Dynamo Kyiv player and the Ukrainian national team, should take rations from the occupiers and change my Ukrainian phone number to a Russian one? I don't need such shame. I myself would cease to respect myself after that. I installed a VPN, my son and I were in touch.
— For many Khersons, your behavior was an example. And who was an example for you?
- Not an example, but real heroes for me were several dozen of our guys who died in the first days of the war, defending Kherson. Several dozen Ukrainian soldiers died in Lilac Park. This is a scary story for all Kherson people. Eternal glory to our boys! And a great shame to those who were responsible for the defense of our city and could not organize it.
— During the occupation, the Russians really wanted to transfer the system of financial settlements from hryvnias to rubles. Did they succeed?
- No. I remember how someone tried to pay in rubles at our bazaar. Our Kherson saleswomen answered: "Go to hell with your rubles! Pay with us in hryvnias!". Once at the ATM, one of the collaborators began to tell the queue, saying, why are you withdrawing hryvnias. So the whole queue amicably sent him after the Russian ship.
Do you know how Russian policemen patrolled the city during the occupation? Their plot is a quadrangle, one kilometer in each direction. So they drove very, very slowly before the turn, then gained a speed of 120 km per hour, before the next turn again very, very slowly. Despite their military resources, they were afraid of ambushes from local resistance. Even the collaborators who were initially for Russia, in August, when the Armed Forces seized the initiative, again spoke differently, almost turning into Ukrainian patriots.
— The SBU will deal with the collaborators. And what are your plans?
— I will not go anywhere from Kherson. We are waiting for the power supply to the city, we will adjust life here. And we continue to believe in the Armed Forces, because the guys still need to liberate the rest of our occupied territories.
Maxim Rozenko
