Today is exactly one year since that terrible day, and soon I will celebrate my 36th birthday. A whole year of my life has passed to the sounds of air raid sirens, sleepless nights and anxious mornings.
Russia is destroying not only the infrastructure and economy of my country. Russia is destroying my life and the lives of my loved ones, acquaintances, and every Ukrainian. Russian soldiers invaded and stole my plans, hopes and expectations. And tens of thousands of innocent citizens were left with no home or killed.
I'm lucky - I'm alive, my house is intact, and I'm working. And I am lucky enough to work in the IT sector, which today is almost the only export industry of the country, and holds the economic front and supports a powerful volunteer movement.
A lot has happened during the year; relocation, blackout threat, moral fatigue and exhaustion. But I have always felt the support of my colleagues and the company.
My colleagues are incredible people; for example, they have donated many hours of their working time to your Itera Employee Foundation. And then we have Arne Mjøs, who came to Ukraine in the spring, even before the official representatives of foreign countries, and experienced firsthand what a country in a state of war is like. And we have customers who not only did not stop their projects from Ukraine, but have hired more Ukrainian IT specialists.
Our Itera Invincible Centre ensures autonomous and uninterrupted operation and living conditions, even in a long-term power outage. This is the charging station that each of us now has at home, thanks to the financial support of Itera.
And this is what motivates me not to get depressed but to continue learning, interacting with people and doing my job. And today, I know I have to do it even better, because my company and my colleagues are worth it.
I am lucky - I am alive and feel unconditional support. Together we will overcome these dark times.
![Arne-62[2088]](https://www.itera.com/hubfs/Arne-62%5B2088%5D.jpg)
