OUTSLANDER

In February and March 2022, Maryna, along with her son and daughter, fled Bucha to seek refuge at a relative’s home in the village of Kalynivka. While the village had only heard of the war through television and had not experienced it firsthand, the residents were unwelcoming to outsiders. Despite being physically safe, Maryna and her children faced moral challenges as the villagers kept their distance, labelling them as ‘strangers’. No matter what Maryna did, it seemed to go wrong in the eyes of the locals. The situation escalated when a drunken neighbour brandished a gun at Maryna, accusing her and her children of being a criminal group. The village sided with their own, further isolating Maryna. However, when Russian troops surrounded Kalynivka, it was Maryna who united the community. Risking her life, she led efforts that ultimately saved the village and even Kyiv by preventing a column of Russian tanks from reaching the capital.