Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
As told to Jem Bartholomew

Giving birth in a bunker in Kyiv: ‘I said to him you’re a new Ukrainian’

Viktoria and Fedor
Viktoria, 32, gave birth to Fedor in an underground shelter. ‘He has brought so much love and happiness into our home.’ Photograph: supplied

It was the second day of the war. I was really nervous – we were hearing explosions. I was praying to meet my son. I started to clean everything in my house, preparing for the baby, and even when I started to feel the pain, I couldn’t believe I’d be giving birth during war.

Me and my husband were afraid to drive to the hospital because of the explosions. First we had to spend about 30 minutes in a queue to get gas. Then we were riding through Kyiv and it was empty – I’d never seen such an empty city. We heard the sound of sirens. It was scary, like a movie, but I was trying to stay positive.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.