The light of "Pharmacies" in the darkness of war: stories of pharmacists who hold their own front

This Saturday, September 20, Ukraine celebrates Pharmacist's Day. In the frontline territories, a pharmacy is not just about medicine. It is a shelter, an emergency point, a place to meet humanity. UNN has collected stories of Ukrainian pharmacists who held their own front when shots were fired nearby.

Anna Nesvitailo: "I will await Victory in my native Kharkiv together with Kharkiv residents"

On February 24, 2022, Anna Nesvitailo, the manager of the Kharkiv pharmacy "Leda" in Pivnichna Saltivka, went to work with one apple and an orange. At that time, she did not yet know that the pharmacy would become her home for many months.

The shelling of Kharkiv began at five in the morning. A huge queue stood at the pharmacy doors from early morning. People panicked and tried to get medicine. Anna and the other pharmacists understood that there was no time for fear, so they got to work. They collected leftover medicines from other non-operating pharmacies in the chain and prepared extemporaneous remedies. At the same time, they formed "first aid kits" for visitors. Thanks to this, even when people came with a list of 30 drugs, they still left with something they needed.

Later, due to constant shelling that destroyed 98% of the houses in Saltivka, Anna and her family were forced to move into the pharmacy. The family of another pharmacist also joined them. In the basement, they set up a real hostel with inflatable mattresses and a stove, where 8 people lived. Until Easter, they all lived together in the pharmacy's basement. But later, a colleague and her family left Kharkiv.

So Anna had to take on everything: stand at the cash register, serve people, help with the production of medicines. Despite the dangerous conditions, visitors were supportive: they brought homemade food, stood in queues at grocery stores. Anna recalls that despite the general panic and nervousness, not a single conflict arose in the pharmacy. Every customer saw how dedicated the pharmacists were.

Our visitors greatly appreciated that we did not stop working. People even fed us, stood in queues for us in stores. It was very touching

Later, the pharmacy became not only Anna's and her family's home, but also a safe haven for visitors. When the shelling intensified, the pharmacist and customers waited out the danger inside. Anna remained in Kharkiv, and even today continues to serve the city residents.

Not only the well-being of my colleagues, but also the lives of an entire district depend on my work. Kharkiv is my hometown, and I will not abandon the Kharkiv residents. I will await Victory with them

Kateryna Bobkova: "Our pharmacy was the best hiding place"

Kateryna Bobkova, a pharmacist at the "Bazhayemo Zdorov'ya" pharmacy, met February 24, 2022, in Lysychansk, where fierce battles unfolded from the first days of the war. Despite the panic and long queues, she and two colleagues did not close the pharmacy, but continued to work every day.

Realizing that people could not do without medicine at such a time, the pharmacists worked at three cash registers at once, calming visitors. And during shelling, the pharmacy became a real shelter for locals - pharmacists let everyone in, closed the doors, and waited out the danger together.

Our pharmacy was the best hiding place

Work and the way home were a huge risk for Kateryna. Once, three tanks stopped near her pharmacy, and the pharmacists were forced to close earlier. Another time, when Kateryna and her colleagues were returning home, they had to urgently hide in the basement of a high-rise building due to a loud explosion and military warnings about possible "arrivals."

However, even such danger did not stop the pharmacist from wanting to help and support people. On her way home, Kateryna passed by the school where her daughter studied in peacetime every day. About 400 people, including elderly people and children, were hiding in the school's shelter. They were afraid to go out for medicine. So, Kateryna collected lists of necessary drugs and daily formed huge packages that she took to the bomb shelter. Mostly, these were antipyretics, painkillers, and sedatives, which people so desperately needed.

Due to intensified shelling, lack of electricity, and the deteriorating situation in the city, Kateryna Bobkova and her family were forced to leave their native Lysychansk. She is now in Dnipro, but dreams of returning to her hometown every day. 

Olha Repenko: "My destiny is to help people"

Two weeks before the war began, Olha Repenko, a pharmacist at pharmacy No. 30 "Zdravytsia" in Sievierodonetsk, fell ill with COVID pneumonia. Her first day back at work after her illness was March 4, 2022. Her first day at work – and immediately under shelling. 

The manager and I went out together. There were many people standing near the pharmacy... At that time, the city was being shelled by "Grads," and it was very dangerous to stay outside.

Of course, all the people standing near the pharmacy were taken to a safe basement to wait out another shelling. Then the pharmacy management decided to temporarily suspend operations. 

After that, Olha joined the humanitarian headquarters in the ice palace of sports in Sievierodonetsk. There, she sorted medicines that volunteers brought from bombed-out pharmacies, wiped soot from packages, checked expiration dates, and distributed them to people.

One woman lost consciousness, I ran over, measured her blood pressure, and the tonometer gave an error – the readings were so low that the device could not register them. I first gave her a few caffeine tablets, then gave her strong sweet coffee, and she regained consciousness.

And when people who came to the volunteer center told about their elderly disabled neighbors – Olha could not stand aside. She collected everything necessary and delivered medicines to the homes of all those in need. At that time, due to a lack of drugs, many cancer patients were left without them. Olha tried to help them by bringing at least painkillers.

When a rocket hit the roof of the ice palace, Olha and her son decided to leave. They took only documents and a few things, thinking it would be for two weeks. But for several months now, they have been living in Kyiv, where the woman works at "Pharmacy 36.6." Her father and sister remained in Sievierodonetsk, and Olha herself believes that she will one day return home. 

Oksana Ruban: "We never used to divide people into Ukrainians and Russians. And we don't now. Now we just don't consider Russians to be people."

On the morning of February 24, 2022, Oksana, the manager of "Pharmacy 9-1-1 Main Pharmacy of Your District" in Trostianets, and her colleague were met by an unprecedented queue near the pharmacy. People were frantically buying medicines, and sounds of explosions echoed from everywhere. Calming the visitors, Oksana Mykolaivna also calmed herself, knowing that she could not leave people without help. Within a few hours, tanks with the "Z" mark entered Trostianets.

The next day, transport was no longer running, and Oksana had to walk 5 km to work, accompanied by an enemy armored personnel carrier. Out of fear, she twisted her ankle, but still reached the pharmacy. Later, the city's pharmacies were looted and shelled, and the city's residents found themselves held hostage.

We were targets for them, our lives were not worth a penny in their eyes. I realized that I would not reach the pharmacy alive, so I called my colleagues and asked them to take out the remaining medicines and goods and hide them at home.

Trostianets was liberated on March 26, and already on April 3, despite the threat of an explosion from a mined Russian arms depot, Oksana and her colleague came to clean the pharmacy. They opened the establishment when there was still no electricity or communication in the city. They served people for cash, recording all operations in a notebook.

We opened the pharmacy when there was still no electricity or communication... People were so grateful that no one complained.

Today, Trostianets is recovering from the consequences of the occupation, but remains under constant threat. Despite this, the pharmacy continues to operate, and its name, according to Oksana, reminds them that they became a salvation for the residents of the district.

"Despite the shelling and 'shaheds,' we continue to work. It's not easy in Sumy region now, so almost every visitor, like a mantra, tells us goodbye: 'Peaceful skies and a quiet night to you!'" – adds Oksana.

Hanna Taran: "For me, human life is paramount now."

Hanna Taran, a senior pharmacist at "ANC," met the invasion in Kharkiv, in Saltivka. She did not believe in war, but on February 24, she woke up to explosions and immediately went to work.

The pharmacy where Hanna worked is located near a metro station where people were hiding. And it was one of the few in the city that continued to operate. Two of Hanna's colleagues could not get to work, so only three pharmacists remained.

There were a lot of people. Other pharmacies closed. They bought everything – not only sedatives and drugs for chronic diseases. Hygiene products, fever reducers, stomach remedies, painkillers, even toothpaste and brushes.

The shelling became stronger and stronger. Hanna had to walk to work to stay close to people who needed help. And on March 2, a shell hit the pharmacist's neighboring house, so she and her family were forced to move.

But already in May 2022, when metro traffic resumed, Hanna returned to her native pharmacy.

Visitors at first did not believe that the pharmacy was working again. They looked in so carefully and asked: "Can we? Will you be working every day now?"

Despite daily risks, Hanna continues to commute to work. Recently, during shelling, the windows in the pharmacy shook. But Hanna understands that her help is needed by people.

The war has changed all of us a lot. For me, human life is paramount now. I really want this horror to end as soon as possible. So that parents stop burying their children, and children – their parents.

What unites all these stories: love for people, for the city, for the country? Probably everything at once, and also a great desire to help others. After all, pharmacists are people who, in the darkest days, kept the "Pharmacy" sign lit. They saved not only with a pill, but also with order amidst chaos, with the word "hold on." They became those who restored a sense of security where it seemed there was nothing but fear.

This Saturday, we congratulate everyone who holds the pharmacy front, and repeat the words that are now said like a mantra in Sumy region: "Peaceful skies and a quiet night to you!" 

And we also remember and honor the memory of pharmacists who gave their lives helping people. Among them are pharmacists from "Pharmacy 9-1-1": Natalia Demydenko and Svitlana Kalynychenko from Kozacha Lopan village, Anastasia Tymoshenko from Mariupol, Diana Kravchenko from Chernivtsi; pharmacists from "ANC": Rostyslav Shvets from Odesa, Tetiana Tkachenko from Mykolaiv, Viktoria Nikitina from Kherson, and Maksym Pyvovarov from Dnipro, who died at the front; and also pharmacist Andriy Siroshtan from "Bazhayemo Zdorov'ya" from Odesa, who also died at the front.

Their names are names of courage and devotion. They died helping others, and left behind a light that will not fade.