I don't know how to even begin writing this, but I am just going to let my hands flow. I have put off mentioning anything about my situation, given I did not want to jinx anything and it is partially my fault.
My wife is in Ukraine right now, in a village a couple km from the Russian border, north of Kharkov. The past few months have been a source of contention for us. Seeing how the situation was escalating day by day, we often argued about her going back to visit her family in February. Her visa in Poland was due to expire this week and we knew this date was coming up. I made it quite clear I did not want her to return. I did not feel it was safe, and even if nothing happened, better safe than sorry. It lead to a lot of arguments, as she hadn't seen her family in a while since we moved here. We are supposed to move to Canada in a few months after a long and stressful sponsorship application process that has cost us thousands, time, and is the main reason for both of us moving to Poland from our home countries. We finally got approved and are so damn close to the finish line. 2 months.
Before she left I tried to get in contact with the UA consulate and polish border guards about getting her an extension on her visa so she could stay. They were of no help. I thought about overstaying her visa. Just...stay in Poland until it's time for us to move to Canada and we can deal with the overstayed visa at passport control. But that might also cause other problems, as she could possibly get detained for a couple days and any future entry attempts would result in a ban. Her visa expiring this week is literally the worst timing of anything in our lives.
Eventually, after arguing many days and nights, she made the decision to return home. I begged her to wait until at least this week to see how it played out. But she is so f'ing stubborn sometimes that she told me she is going on the planned date, no exception. Ultimately she is not my prisoner and it's her choice. I reluctantly went with her to the airport and said our goodbyes. Passport control told her that once her visa was fully expired, she'd be allowed to return for 90 days as a tourist, which worked out perfectly for us to move to Canada before it was done. Just had to ride out 2 weeks of stress...
Thing have gotten worse throughout the week and finally last night I told her I was moving her return flight date up a couple days. Changed her flights, booked train tickets to meet her in Wroclaw and she finally agreed she should not have come and was looking forward to returning. Last bit of news I saw last night was how Kharkov was next. Could barely sleep and woke up this morning to this photo she sent me of tanks outside her window.
Called her and the family is bunkered down in their apartment. They tried to leave but the roads are all blocked by tanks and others trying to leave. They are also worried that someone will see a UA license plate and shoot at them. They are waiting it out. She lost power moments ago, luckily has a powerbank. Not sure how internet connection will be, or when I'll hear from her again. FML
Don't even know how to feel right now, except for real genuine hatred for the biggest piece of #### psychopath in the world right now. Not a day goes by that I wish with all my heart that I wake up to the news that Vladimir Putin is dead.
I feel nothing but regret now. She was with me last week, and now this....bull####. I wish so bad her flights had gotten cancelled. I wish I had just cancelled them myself. Wish I would have just laid down the law in my household and told her straight up she's not going. Now all I can do is hope and pray to whatever entity will listen that this thing is over soon.