Who Plagued the Hearts of Donetsk Miners With Fear?

My grandfather, Anatolii, passed away clinging to the myth of the "Russian world.” Despite surviving the brutal Russian occupation, he remained captivated by this idealized vision. My grandfather was a lifelong miner, dedicating his life to the Donetsk region. He never experienced poverty and he had a house and a big family. Yet, as the cruel Soviet economic system exploited the relatively stable Ukrainian welfare, many people felt hardships immediately. Yet even during times of struggle, his family managed to survive through community support. His relationship with my mother, Iryna, broke down when he discovered she was Ukrainian. This revelation shattered his worldview and fueled a deep-seated hatred for "Banderites," a term used to demonize Ukrainian nationalists. He died in Poltava still carrying this hatred and fear. My grandfather’s story is not one of a kind. On the contrary, it is typical for the majority of the older generation in this region. Their broken lives serve as the very foundation of the wall Russia has been relentlessly constructing between Donetsk and the rest of the country.