17.04.2009 20:54 | Elizabeth Petrachenko: “When I saw our destroyed city, I wanted to cry”

I am only 12 years old, but I have already gone through two wars: in 2004 and 2008. From that war, in 2004, I have remembered me and my mother were coming home and they began to shoot at us from the direction of the village Tamarashen. We were running along the street and my mother was in front of me, in case things went wrong the bullet hit my mum instead of me.

On August, 1, 2008 the shelling started again. All of us were at home on the ground floor. My little sisters were sitting on the sofa, they were very frightened and even started to tremble with fear and cry. They nestled to the grandfather and asked him why they were shooting again. We spent there much time, all other days and nights they were shooting too. I remember, about three o’clock mum woke me up and told to go downwards, because there was a shelling again. All of us went down because it was a safe place. We fall asleep there.

On August, 6 we went to the market and bought the products as a reserve. Mum said that it was necessary to buy food in case of war, because the shops would be closed.

In the afternoon of August, 7 my little sisters left very quickly, the shooting started again. I didn’t go with them because there was no free place in the car. In the evening the president of Georgia Saakashvili announced for TV News that even in case Ossetians began to fire, Georgia would not attack South Ossetia. We believed and having calmed down went to bed, though I thought to myself: “Why did Saakashvili`s heart warmed over us?”

It was about 12.00 a.m. when we woke up from the explosions and very quickly ran into the bathroom. We didn’t go down in a basement because it was dangerous to enter it, to crown at all the bullet embedded itself in a wall. We brought the chairs to the bathroom. There were five of us: me, my mum, the elder sister, the aunt and the grandfather. Of course, my father hadn’t been there, he was in the forces. I worried about him very much. We weren't able to sleep that nigh. The explosions were occurring everywhere. I was afraid that the shell could hit our house, we had nowhere to go. Our nearest neighbors didn’t have a basement, only our distant neighbors had a cellar. And it was dangerous to go out. I was sitting on a chair having nestled to mum. I thought everything would be over towards morning. I did not think at all that I would spend four days in a basement. So I fall asleep sitting on the chair. In the morning I woke up from the explosions and thought: “Did they really start it again?”

We spent in the bathroom all day again. When it became a bit calmer, my mother used to run out into the street and managed to have a chat with the neighbors and imparted news to us. The news was always bad. We often got in touch with our neighbors by phone and reassured each other. We often exchanged words with one our friend, who provided information reassured us. He said that Russians would come soon and everything would be all right. The rumours were in the air. They saidthat the commander of the joint peacekeeping forces Marat Kulahmetov and the commander of civil guardsmen Bala Bestaev were killed and that the singer Soslan Hassiev was killed too. But as it turned out later, it was not true.

On August, 9 Georgians have already lifted airforce. I heard the sound of flying planes and everybody paralysed with terror. Would the bomb really land on our house? I saw such things on TV only, but not in real life. I heard the sound of the shells. Perhaps, it were the shells of “Grad” rocket systems, which were used for the destruction of small Ossetian population. When we learned that Georgians had been in the city, we were very frightened. Our relative called us and said that Georgian tanks passed along her street, she saw them. When we have heard it, we were dreadfully frightened. We heard that Georgians came into many cellars and killed people.

We were informed by phone that Georgians started to occupy Ossetian villages. We nearly lost any hope. Our relatives from different cities called us and said that Russians were coming to our rescue. They sent sms with the words: “Are you alive? For God's sake! A lot of military technics are going!” My elder sister put the Icon of the Mother of God in the bathroom and lighted the candles, we began to pray. We collected all the documents. It was such a moment when we new nothing. All our phones were disconnected. Would Georgians really come and shoot all of us? They tried to quiet me. On August, 11 it was a bit calmer. There were many Russian tanks in our street.

It was 58th army. There were lots and lots of them. All of us ran out into the street. I gave them the flowers. Mum brought them potato, cheese, bread and water. Then me and mum ran to the hospital which was situated not far away from there. Ambulance cars arrived from Vladikavkaz to take wounded men. They were in a great number. My daddy also assisted with carrying out the wounded men. I was sorry for them. I saw one blindfolded man. I was frightened for some reason and rushed home. Suddenly my daddy together with the volunteers from Beslan and Vladikavkaz came to us. And they said: “It’s a victory!” All of us started to cry with happiness.

On August, 12 me and my elder sister left for Vladikavkaz. On August, 14 I came back. When I saw our destroyed city, I wanted to cry. Very many houses have burned down and were destroyed. I have learned that many our guys died defending our small Ossetia. And how many civilians, the elderly, children and women died a dreadful death? And how many people were buried in the kitchen gardens. I have learned that Georgians have shot the whole Russian battalion. I am so sorry for their mothers. I took a pencil and wrote a poem. I thank Russia for its help. If they were several hours late, our small South Ossetia would not be in the world any more.

Thanks to Medvedev and Putin Russia recognized us and proclaimed the Independence of South Ossetia Republic.

Translated by Tatiana Inozemtseva