It might be exactly one year on from the photo on our front page but it is still too painful for Ruslan Gladkiy to talk about.
It became one of the most powerful images of the Ukraine war – a dad saying goodbye and “be brave for your mother” to his son at a train station, not knowing if they would ever see each other again.
Hordiy, nine, is now back in Ukraine and Ruslan, 36, spoke to the Mirror last night about the devastating impact the war has had on his family.
He told us: “To be honest, we have not spoken about or discussed that terrible farewell day at Lviv train station. It is too painful and it is still an open wound.”
Just 48 hours after war broke out, Ruslan and his wife Halyna, 38, decided it would be safer for her to take the children to stay with relatives in Italy. It was a devastating decision to split up their family.
But three months later, Halyna, Hordiy and five-year-old Emilia were able to return home. And Ruslan spoke about the horrendous events of the past year.
He said, sadly: “We have become so accustomed to war that, it seems, we are no longer afraid of anything –not shelling, not earthquakes, not nuclear war.
“We go to work, celebrate birthdays and our friends have babies. But all this happens constantly in a heightened psychological time, a constant small anxiety is present. Unfortunately, trouble can be expected from our bloodthirsty neighbour at any time.”
Ruslan told us how his wife is taking sewing lessons to try to bring some more money in.
And about the impact on his children, he said: “Hordiy goes to school. If you can call it that. There was only one week this month. The rest of the time is distance learning. The kindergartens are closed, so Emilia is forced to be with her mother all the time. Emilia also attends classes [outside school].”
He recalled the invasion: “Those first days were terror, unknown, adrenaline, confusion, fear. And at school they don’t teach how to behave when war happens.
“What words to say to children who look you in the eyes? Should you go to work or stay with your family?
“You don’t know whether to buy bread first, or fuel, and whether there will be anything there tomorrow.”
He continued: “Several friends have been at the front. Now they are at home, on rotation. I’ll tell you what, these guys come back as different people.
“Previously smiling, happy people they return devastated, depressed.
“We will have to work hard to restore the sparkle in the eyes of our soldiers.
“I feel that soon it will be my turn to face the occupier and the killer.”
