"It became easier to breathe — the feeling of freedom returned to us"

Donetsk does not indulge in festive events: mass gatherings of people are still prohibited, and Russia Day is no exception. Nevertheless, this is the first June 12 in three and a half years when the streets of the republican capital are quiet and calm and there is no need to constantly look for where to hide if a shell or rocket arrives: after the front line moved away from Marinka and Avdiivka, the people really exhaled, life changed, the stamp of oppression and pain is erased from people's faces. A special correspondent of Izvestia met with Donetsk residents of different professions, and learned how, in their opinion, the region has changed after joining the united all-Russian family, and what they would wish on this day to their republic and the whole country.

Trans-Russian journey

Alyona Sergienko is a mother of five children. Last year, their family won a prize in the all-Russian competition "This is our family" in Moscow, winning a substantial prize and a trip to the Pacific Ocean. They live in a small village in the Amvrosiyevsky district, and for the last two years, after the military units have been quartered in the village, they have been helping the military: they bring parcels and wash (for free) things — four washing machines work from dawn to dark, seven days a week.

— Among the fighters who come to us, there are representatives of all regions, — says Alyona. — For us, these guys are already all relatives. I would like people to return to the land and villages more often," Alyona said. — Everyone should have their own piece of living land.

Remembering the competition, the qualifying stages (587 thousand people took part in it) Alyona says that she was amazed by the richness and diversity of cultures that the participants represented. And also the love for his native land, which manifested itself in everything.

Artyom Povarov, chairman of the Union of DPR Photo Artists, also discusses cultural integration after reunification with Russia.

"Nobody needed us before," he explains. — And now we are invited to other cities, and this is very important for a creative person: acquaintances, inspiration, enrichment. For example, last fall, 12 of our participants were able to travel to Vologda as part of the Cultural Bridge project. We talked, shared our experiences, and presented our work.

Artyom himself made a big "trans—Russian" trip a few years ago - he drove to Lake Baikal (it took five months to get there and back), getting to know people, cities, culture, and nature along the way, eventually creating a large-scale series of photo sales, which later became a real event. Recently, some of these works were presented in Volgodonsk just in time for the celebration of Russia Day.

"So that those who died for our freedom would not be forgotten"

Lilya Radionova is the head of one of the military units in the DPR. In 2014, she and her colleagues created the 1st medical detachment of the republic. In the same year, she was captured in Ukraine, where she spent several months.

— Today it finally became easier for us to breathe, — says the woman. — The sounds of fighting have almost disappeared in Donetsk, and the forgotten feeling of freedom has returned to us.

According to Lilia, roads are being repaired in the republic — this is actually the new face of the DPR, there has never been such a level of highways. The bridge over Donetsk's main river Kalmius is being reconstructed.

"I wish for two things,— the medic said. — Many people have now lost their homes, are struggling, wandering. I want everyone to find their own corner! And secondly— so that those who died for our freedom would not be forgotten.

One of those who fought since 2014 is Ilya, call sign Leon. He is from Kramatorsk, fought in Slavyansk. I haven't been to my hometown for 11 years, and my mother stayed there. In April 2022, he, the commander of a rifle platoon, was wounded by an enemy sniper in the battles for Mariupol, shot in the leg. The treatment took a year and a half, he was in the hospital in Gatchina.

— The Russian volunteers helped me a lot, who were happy for me, for an outsider in general. And then the doctors did a great job. I think I am deeply indebted to them," Leon says. — The recovery process was difficult. But now I'm already walking on my own two feet, without any technical devices.

Today, Ilya says, Donetsk residents really have confidence that everything will get better and stabilize. As if confirming their hopes, people began to give birth more. Ilya himself had his first child last year.

From ancient times to the present day

Vyacheslav Terkulov is an Associate Professor of Philology, Professor, Head of the Russian Language Department at Donetsk State University. He calls the inclusion of Donetsk residents in the scientific and educational space of Russia an important result of joining the Russian Federation. For example, DSU received a state order for scientific research. The journal "Bulletin of Donetsk National University", headed by Vyacheslav Terkulov, consists of 15% local authors, and already 85% from representatives of other regions and even countries — China, Belarus, recently a scientist from Taiwan offered his material to the issue. At the same time, the transition to all—Russian standards, according to the teacher, has been extended until 2026 - this is not an easy path, and it takes time.

— The main result of our struggle for our own identity, which began in 2014, was the opportunity to speak Russian, — says Vyacheslav Terkulov. — Language, despite the change of states and different socio-cultural identities, has always been our foundation. This year we conducted the Donetsk dictation. And 4 thousand people took part in it. That's a lot, and this number perfectly illustrates how important the Russian language is to the residents of Donbass.

A leading specialist of the Donetsk Republican Library named after Irina Alyokhina Krupskoy shared that in honor of June 12, she and her colleagues once again handed over books to soldiers from different units. Similar events are also held for patients of the republican traumatology — there are always new books on the shelves.

Irina herself held intellectual quizzes "Cultural code of Russia" for schoolchildren of the Shakhtersky district in honor of the holiday. Among the questions: "Where can we meet Buki?" — "In the forest; on the map; in the book", "What should an interpreter be able to do?" — "Draw well; run fast; know languages", "What is "empty" if you refer to the Donbass region?" — "An empty trolley; an empty conversation; an unenriched coal rock."

According to the rector of St. Vladimir's Church in Dokuchaevsk, Father Nikita Panasyuk, on the eve of June 12, he held a thematic meeting with the kids at the Dokuchaevsk kindergarten, and said that once Russia was like a small child — small in size. It was inhabited by princes who often fought with each other. And in 988, Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich baptized Russia, after which the Christian faith united everyone. Gradually, the country began to grow, absorbing new spaces, and grew to its present size, becoming as big as an adult. In 2022, Donbass returned to its composition.