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Transcript/ScriptUkraine Mariupol Survivors – Shevchenko
HEAD: Ukrainian Family Escapes Mariupol Blockade, Finds Safety in US
TEASER: The Skripchenkos survived hunger, thirst and shelling and traveled through 3 countries before making their way to America
DATE: 07/24/2022 at 210pm
PUBLISHED AT:
BYLINE: Khrystyna Shevchenko
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: San Diego, California
VIDEOGRAPHER: Khrystyna Shevchenko
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA + TBD
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: KE, Reifenrath
PLATFORMS: TV only
TRT: 2:50
VID APPROVED BY: KE
TYPE: TVPKG
UPDATE: ))
((INTRO:))
[[A family from Mariupol, Ukraine, escaped the city blockade and managed to emigrate to the United States. With their 5-year-old daughter, they spent 40 days under heavy shelling and bombardment. Khrystyna Shevchenko tells the story of their survival and escape, narrated by Anna Rice.]]
((NARRATION))
Oleksandr Skripchenko and his family have lived in this San Diego apartment for only a few weeks. Five-year-old Anya is playing with her toys; her parents are making tea. But just a month ago, they were fleeing their native Mariupol, Ukraine.
((Oleksandr Skripchenko, Refugee From Mariupol)) ((IN RUSSIAN))
“We spent 40 days under shelling without water, food and electricity.”
((NARRATION))
((Mandatory courtesy: Oleksandr Skripchenko))
For the Skripchenkos, life in Mariupol before the war was comfortable. They worked at the Azovstal plant. Oleksandr owned an auto repair shop and had a YouTube channel. They had an apartment, a nice car and stability.
((NATS)) ((Skripchenko archival video of family walking, from before the war)) ((RUS))
“Careful, don’t fall! It’s February 2, 2022. Our daughter is five.”
((NARRATION))
Soon after, Russian forces entered the city.
((NATS)) ((Skripchenko archival video)) ((IN RUSSIAN))
“This is our street, Rovensky lane... These are my favorite buildings here, this is my neighborhood, and it doesn’t exist anymore…”
((End courtesy))
((NARRATION))
((Mandatory courtesy: Oleksandr Skripchenko))
Like thousands of other Mariupol residents, the family ended up in a blockade. Food became scarce.
((End courtesy))
((Oleksandr Skripchenko, Refugee From Mariupol)) ((IN RUSSIAN))
“On the third day, a bomb hit a grocery store; it got destroyed. We got a bag of oats — there was no point getting a lot because we had no water. On March 3 it started snowing, so I was walking in the street and collected snow to get water. I filled up a bathtub. The snow was slowly thawing.”
((NARRATION))
((Mandatory courtesy: Oleksandr Skripchenko))
The family decided to leave. They walked 11 kilometers until they hit a Russian checkpoint.
((End courtesy))
((Oleksandr Skripchenko, Refugee From Mariupol)) ((IN RUSSIAN))
“They said there was a curfew in place. We couldn’t go or they’d shoot us. We found a destroyed building and spent the night in the basement.”
((NARRATION))
They reached the Donetsk People’s Republic,
((Mandatory courtesy: Oleksandr Skripchenko))
a Russian separatist region and had to go through a filtration camp. They say it’s a miracle they got onto the bus that brought them to various cities in Russia. From there, they traveled to Turkey, Mexico, and Los Angeles, where Skripchenko's former classmate took them in.
((End courtesy))
((Oleksandr Skripchenko, Refugee From Mariupol)) ((IN RUSSIAN))
“I wanted to save my wife and daughter; I had no other goals. I didn’t care which way I’d go as long as there was no shelling and shooting and my wife and daughter were safe.”
((NARRATION))
((Mandatory courtesy: Oleksandr Skripchenko))
The family came to the U.S. with two bags and a lot of painful memories. Volunteers and friends helped with accommodations and money. Ahead of them is a long relocation process,
but for this
((End courtesy))
family, none of these hardships matter as long as they are alive and well.
((For Khrystyna Shevchenko in San Diego, California, Anna Rice, VOA News))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)Khrystyna Shevchenko
Embargo DateJuly 24, 2022 15:44 EDT
Byline((For Khrystyna Shevchenko in San Diego, California, Anna Rice, VOA News))
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
