Tears and joy as Ukrainian couple divided by occupation meet again
KYIV — Larysa Ryndova hurried to see her husband as if they were going out on a first date — makeup on and perfume spritzed in the car. It was the first time she had laid eyes on 68-year-old Serhiy in 4-1/2 years — time he had spent trapped with others in the Russian-held town of Oleshky in southern Ukraine. "I can't believe you are here," Larysa, 72, kept repeating, her mascara smudged with…
KYIV — Larysa Ryndova sprinted to reunite with her husband, as if they were embarking on a brand-new romance. Barely had they laid eyes on 68-year-old Serhiy after a harrowing four-and-a-half years, spent in the Russian-held town of Oleshky in southern Ukraine. "I can't believe you're here," 72-year-old Larysa exclaimed repeatedly, mascara smeared with tears as they embraced outside a hospital in Kyiv.
"I can't believe it myself," Serhiy responded. They had last met in 2022 when Larysa fled to England to join their son, three months into Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Serhiy remained to care for their family home, ultimately becoming stuck in the town plagued by Russian-installed landmines and facing a mounting humanitarian crisis.
Their initial hope was for a better situation, but it only grew worse. "We hoped for better, and it got better," Serhiy sarcastically remarked. Oleshky residents recounted enduring relentless drone attacks and lacking power and heating. The situation worsened this spring when food deliveries ceased. Serhiy finally escaped on October 30, accompanied by hundreds of other displaced individuals.
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- Tears and joy as Ukrainian couple divided by occupation meet again koreatimes.co.kr
