Kharkiv attacks and autumn leaves

Kharkiv city is again suffering a spate of attacks by Russian bombs. This was the result of one of 3 explosions yesterday evening - the Derzhprom building, near the city centre, a Unesco-listed constructivist skyscraper, completed in 1928, when Kharkiv was the capital of Communist Ukraine...


.... According to preliminary data, the Russians used a high-explosive aerial bomb with a planning and correction module (Suspilne news). So, no accident...
Residents in Kharkiv described it as “an act of deliberate cultural vandalism against a symbol of Ukrainian resistance." Nine people were injured. 
Later, about 3am, Tuesday morning, the Russians attacked a residential district of Kharkiv. Four people were killed, including a woman in her 80s who had only returned to Kharkiv a month ago, after having been evacuated abroad.

These night-time horrors fade during the day when you constantly see such beautiful autumnal scenes, as in Central Park, below. 


And this is Schevchenko Park. The streetlights are on in the evening, now, which is a relief as it's getting dark so early. But, just before curfew, all the lights go out and we are plunged into complete darkness. Then, you don't want to be out!


I've been back in Kharkiv nearly 3 weeks and am back into the rhythm of work in Hell's Kitchen. As there are sometimes more than enough volunteers, I'm venturing into other areas, such as camouflage netting in the very far south of the city, where there is a community of apartment blocks, then open countryside. The camouflage netting is a small, home-based enterprise. It's amazing how these women go through every stage of preparing the material and making the netting, in such a confined space.

I'm continuing to support Adults For Children in Kharkiv, which has recently held a children's festival. Donations are mostly used to buy medicines for vulnerable children.

Franklin, the Hell's Kitchen volunteer coordinator, is continuing to raise funds to support the military, now for winter thermal wear, because temperatures are dropping and troops face bitter combat zone conditions. To donate: PayPal bearstateteacher1@yahoo.com. Or  buymeacoffee.com/franklinat9.

Some of the volunteers in Hell's Kitchen will turn their hands to anything, including carving pumpkins today, ready for our Hallowe'en party.



Amongst the Ukrainian kitchen volunteers, there's a doctor, a dentist and a yoga teacher. I've made use of them all! The local volunteers work in Hell's Kitchen on top of their day jobs.
Liuda, founder of Hell's Kitchen (with her husband) occasionally gets us out on the street to do beneficial exercises, including headstands, which appears to be Liuda's and my speciality!

Finally, autumn would not be autumn without the ubiquitous leaf sweepers. This one appears to be gathering leaves in a children's pram!

To make a donation, please:

Open PayPal and, when asked for email, enter sunflower_house@hotmail.com


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