Kherson Teacher: “I Want to Live in Ukraine. I’m Ukrainian”

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Svetlana, we have seen pictures in other parts and some pictures from Kherson of civilian targets, houses, residential neighborhoods, kindergartens and the like. What can you tell us about the targets that were struck in your town, in Kherson.

SVETLANA ZORINA, KHERSON RESIDENT: Yes. A lot of civilian buildings were struck, buildings for — apartment buildings for people. My friend who’s originally from Kherson, she’s in Kyiv now. Her parents’ house, apartment building, it was bombed. And the school near the school where I studied also was bombed. They bomb hospitals. They — I don’t know. They shoot to apartment buildings. People are sitting in their apartments or basements. And women who are pregnant gave birth gave birth to their children in the basements. And I think it’s a horrible situation.

AMANPOUR: You said that you had enough food maybe for two weeks?

ZORINA: Yes.

AMANPOUR: What will you do? Do you think you will leave? Are you going to stay and try to resist? Are you scared?

ZORINA: I’m scared, but I think I’m more angry than scared. And I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to become a refugee. I want to live in my country. I was born in Kherson. I lived here almost all my life. And I don’t want to change it. And I hope it’s going to be over soon, and Russian army going to leave, occupants are going to leave. And I don’t want to leave. Of course, if there is some big danger, I will. But I very — really hope that it’s not going to be needed. So, I would like to stay, if it’s possible, as much as possible. I want to live in Ukraine. I’m Ukrainian.

AMANPOUR: Well, you and all your people are really brave. And you’re making such a huge impact on everybody around the world. And we, of course, wish you the best.