Three-year-old Sashunya Semenyaga from Novoselivka, Chernihiv district, grew several years older during the 35 days he spent in the basement with his relatives. The war forced them to leave their home in the afternoon of February 24. In the morning, Sasha's parents still had time to fill up the car and buy several bags of groceries. "With my husband and two minor sons, we went to visit my sister in Voznesensk," says Nataliya Semenyaga. - The sister's house is a little away from the front line, there is a good and reliable burial ground there. Therefore, when we learned about the orcs' attack, we did not delay."
They packed their suitcase for a few days, because they thought that they would soon return home. "I took one car and a tractor with me," recalls Sasha. "Mom allowed me to put it in my backpack with my clothes."
Little Sasha is fascinated by this kind of technology. Before the war, he had a whole collection of agricultural machinery: more than 50 tractors and combines. All of them took pride of place in the little farmer's room. This is the profession the boy dreams of.
Sashunya did not leave the cellar for thirty-five days, because in Voznesenskyi, which was occupied by the Rashists, it was forbidden to go outside and light a fire. "We were very cold," says the blue-eyed kid. "My mother put a jacket on me, covered me with blankets, and on top - her fur coat and my father's coat. She said that it was my tent, and I played there with a tractor and a car."
Parents say that Sasha went home every day. It was difficult for him to explain that there was a war going on, that we were attacked. The boy constantly asked for bread, although the family tried to prepare fresh food every day. "We quietly lit a fire and cooked something from the products that were in the cellar. They covered this small hearth with everything they could so that it would not be noticed by the enemy, - . Natalia tells. - But the children really wanted bread. And when the neighbor gave us another warm loaf, we just burst into tears. You would have seen with what thirst and pleasure the children ate it!"
Natalia with tears in her eyes remembers how on March 17, her wounded father crawled to their grave and informed them that their house was no longer there: "I let the dogs go (the family bred hunting dogs of the Laika breed, there were three of them. - Author). Everything is on fire there, so let them at least be saved."
Only Sasha believed that his beloved Aza would return. And she came back, - Natasha smiles. - When the troops retreated and we were able to get out of the cellar, the first thing we did was go to our house. Sasha went with us, because he did not accept any persuasion to stay. When we arrived at the fire, we saw Aza. She returned to the ruins."
There was nothing left of the house: the rooms, appliances, clothes, a collection of tractors and Sasha's laptop, which Saint Nicholas had brought him, were all destroyed by enemy bombs. It warmed Aza's soul. She was not going to leave her home. Therefore, the owners made her a booth and a pen out of burnt boards. Now Aza guards the yard, and the family still lives in Voznesensky with Natasha's sister. Recently, volunteers gave the Semenyag family a bicycle that Sashunya had dreamed of. "Now in Chernihiv, my mother will ride a bicycle to work and will be able to bring four bags of groceries from the city, instead of two," he explains in an adult manner.
And mom dreams of fulfilling the wishes of the whole family: "We want to build a summer kitchen and return to our yard. Sasha says that he is even ready to live with Aza in a cabin, if only at home."
