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Neighbors from hell — How one Oleshky family survived living next to Russian soldiers

For years, the Samarsky family lived in the embattled, occupied Oleshky alongside neighbors no one wished to have — Russian soldiers. Serhii Samarsky, his wife Olha Liutikova, and their son Vladyslav remained in the town after Russian forces occupied it during the early stages of its full-scale invasion until October 2026, when a humanitarian mission, mediated by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, allowed them to be evacuated. Together, they survived relentless air attacks, cold winters without he

Vladyslav Samarsky at the Ukraine-Belarus border in Chernihiv Oblast, Ukraine, on Oct. 31, 2026.

About Cossacks

Cossacks were semi-nomadic military groups that emerged in the 15th century across the steppes of what is now Ukraine. The Cossack Hetmanate existed as an independent state from 1648 to 1764, before Russian imperial authorities abolished Cossack autonomy and suppressed their cultural identity. Modern Ukraine recognizes Cossack heritage as a foundational element of national identity and resistance against foreign domination.

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