Woman from Balakliia who greeted Ukrainian army soldiers with pancakes, reveals how city was liberated

Viktoriia Andrieieva, Ukrainska Pravda.Zhyttia — SATURDAY, 1 OCTOBER 2022

The woman who greeted the Ukrainian soldiers with pancakes during the liberation of the city heard Ukrainian language from the soldiers for the first time in a while.

She saw the blue ribbons on their hands, and she shared this story with Suspilne.

65-year-old Nataliia Kryvulia is a host with a big heart known throughout the country.

She spent half a year in the basement while her hometown was under occupation.

She was in the shelter on the morning and the day when Balakliia was liberated. Then, she went up to the apartment on the 2nd floor with her son-in-law.

"He looks out the window and says: "Be quiet! Can you hear the Ukrainian language?!" I reply: "Where?" They go to the balcony, she looks [outside], and there are four people below, with blue ribbons on their sleeves. I say: "Oh, [they’re ]probably ours. They can’t be Russians dressed up [in Ukrainian uniform], can they?" Nataliia recalls.

The woman and her son-in-law brought the good news to the basement, but people who were there, too, did not believe it at first.

When the attack stopped, they left the shelter and they saw they were right.

"Then everything felt like a song in my soul; I couldn't believe that we were free, it became easier to breathe!" says Nataliia.

Buckwheat and pancakes on kefir were cooked that morning on the fire. Nataliia says that she had nothing else to offer the [Ukrainian] soldiers, so she offered them pancakes.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!