A Ukrainian teenager returned to the apartment her family fled at the start of Putin’s invasion to find unmade beds, an unfinished pastry and a phone that had been on for a year.
Anna Malygon, from Kharkiv in north-eastern Ukraine, has shared footage of her abandoned home after returning a year later after the start of the war.
The 19-year-old was stunned when she arrived back at her home only to find everything was exactly as it was left 18 months ago when she went to study on board.
Anna had no idea when she left home the first time she left home, but as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24 last year, it became difficult for her to get home unscathed.
When she was able to return to Ukraine earlier this month, Anna was surprised to find the building still standing.
Anna Malygon, 19, from Kharkiv in northeast Ukraine, shared clips of her abandoned apartment after returning home a year later after the start of the war
When she was able to return to Ukraine earlier this month, Anna was surprised to find the building still standing
Anna’s video showed moldy dishes in the sink and a still-charged phone at her family’s home in Kharkiv
Anna told NeedToKnow.online: “It was heartbreaking. My apartment was dirty, cold and very smelly.
“There was mold everywhere and food in the fridge that expired a year ago.”
“Nuts and grains were full of worms. The water was rusty. There was an unfinished coffee and a pastry that my mother didn’t eat because the war started.’
Anna shot a video of her returning home for a TikTok video, which shows moldy dishes in the sink, a phone that’s still charged, and unwashed laundry on the floor by the washing machine.
One of the clips showed her mother’s unmade bed after she “woke up to bombs.”
It was a traumatic and harrowing experience for the Ukrainian to return to her family’s home and see the personal items she would use while living there.
Anna added: “I left Ukraine to study abroad and I never thought I wouldn’t be able to come back.
Anna said: “It was heartbreaking. My apartment was dirty, cold and very smelly’
As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24 last year, it became difficult for them to get home unharmed
“Thank God my house was still standing and wasn’t bombed like many others.”
Anna was faced with a heartbreaking sight coming home from Toronto, Canada, where she now lives – buildings destroyed, windows smashed and familiar places reduced to rubble.
During her trip, she visited her favorite mall, coffee shop, old school, and beauty salon – only to find them all destroyed.
The video has since gone viral on the social media app, garnering 25.1 million views and 2.3 million likes.
She shared the video from her home to raise awareness of the war’s impact on people’s lives as its tragic anniversary comes.
The TikToker visited and photographed her favorite places that were wiped out by Russian bombing
The 19-year-old added: “Thank God my house was still standing and wasn’t bombed like many others.”
The comments section shared feelings of shock and empathy for the Ukrainian people who have suffered the disastrous effects of war.
One social media user commented: “Frightening how life was abandoned and disrupted one day. I’m sorry.’
A second added: “It’s a hit right now it’s been a year”.
Another person on TikTok said, “This is hard to process.”
“It’s really been a year since this started, wow,” commented a fourth user.
Anna shared the video from her home on TikTok to raise awareness of the impact of the war and it touched millions who shared their sympathy in the comments section