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Soledar, located in Donetsk Oblast, holds a special place in the heart of community activist Natalia Tyshchuk. Although not her birthplace, Soledar is where she grew personally, raised her children, and built her home library.
"Soledar is situated at a high altitude with strong steppe winds. The air quality in Donetsk Oblast is unmatched. Recently, there was a severe storm warning, and the wind blew so hard that it reminded me of those feelings. It brought back memories of my beloved Soledar," Natalia shares.
During this conversation, Natalia burst into tears thrice.
Yurchyna Hill: a place of strength
Natalia Tyshchuk was born in Yenakiyeve, another city in Donetsk Oblast, and worked in Bakhmut for a while. In 2009, a friend invited her to Soledar, where there were job openings for educators.
"My friend said, 'The city is beautiful; we have salt here. Many mines, and people are well-employed.' She told me the city had a future and would become even better, with all the chances to be one of the most successful in Donbas. She also mentioned the strong sports base, which would be great for our children. She convinced me that the city was unique, so we moved there."
Soledar got its name after the collapse of the Soviet Union. During the Soviet era, it was known as Karlo-Libknekhtivsk, named after one of the founders of the Communist Party of Germany.
Salt mining in the area began in the 17th century, with intensive construction of salt mines starting after 1878. During World War II, all the mines were destroyed but later restored.
According to the 2001 census, Soledar had a population of just over 13,000 people, mostly employed in salt mining. The city's salt deposits were considered almost inexhaustible.
Natalia quickly fell in love with Soledar. She found work easily, first in a kindergarten and then as a Ukrainian language teacher at a local school. From that moment, she considered Soledar her true home. Her children grew up there, and she and her husband, a serviceman, bought an apartment in the city.
One of Natalia's favorite places in Soledar was Yurchyna Hill. Remembering it brings her to tears.
Soledar residents call it a 'hill,' but it's more like a ravine. We loved going there with our children and having family picnics. It was a place of strength for many Soledar residents.Natalia Tyshchuk, public activist
Natalia also fondly remembers Karpinskoho Street, lined with linden trees. The scent of their blossoms still lingers in her memories.
"There was also a pizzeria called Gusto, known to everyone. We loved meeting there to chat and have coffee. They made the best pizza—better than in Italy, in my opinion."
The main holiday in Soledar was not City Day, as is common in Ukraine, but Miner's Day. It was a big celebration, recalls Natalia.
“Artemsil never spared expenses for the celebrations. Big names would come to perform, sometimes several in one day. There were fantastic performances and dance shows. Everyone eagerly awaited this day, and preparations were made with great enthusiasm.”
Describing the character of the city, Natalia remembers it as a bustling anthill or a busy beehive. "Everyone knew each other.” You could predict where and when you would meet an acquaintance.
More than just salt
Soledar became a place where Natalia grew as a person and where her community activism began. She wanted to make the city more attractive to tourists. She joined the charitable foundation Izolyatsia, which implemented cultural projects and aimed to partially reconstruct the House of Culture (community center).
Her students inspired her to take on this role.
"Many graduates knew that their hometown was waiting for them and that they would find good jobs there. They knew it was a reliable support system."
The Izolyatsia foundation succeeded in raising the city's profile. Artists began visiting Soledar, recognizing that it was more than just salt and mines. It was also about the remnants of the Permian Sea, gypsum caves, and beautiful lakes.
So the locals began to view our steppe differently – not just as a picturesque landscape but something truly special, even in a modern context.Natalia Tyshchuk, public activist
Izolyatsia introduced Soledar residents to contemporary art. Natalia remembers the significant impact of sculptures like "Shark People" and the yellow "Angel of Soledar."
"Even during the full-scale war, those who had left asked me, 'How are the ‘Shark People’? How is our ‘Angel’? We want to see photos, what's happening near our office, are these sculptures still there?'"
For 2022, Izolyatsia had ambitious plans. Together with Artemsil, the foundation planned a project to illuminate the mine headframes, which are iconic symbols of the city. Natalia says, "We already had a preliminary budget calculation and found a contractor."
The last pack of salt was the dearest
February 24 is Natalia's birthday. At that time, her husband was already deeply involved in the war and couldn't be with her. However, Natalia planned to celebrate with her children and parents at their favorite pizzeria.
The night before, she had a dream: important guests arrived, everything was in chaos, the war started, and she was responsible for the lives of her loved ones. This dream turned out to be prophetic.
Soledar had seen occupying forces before. In May 2014, pro-Russian militants stormed the city, but Ukraine regained control in July of the same year.
With the start of the full-scale invasion, Russian forces heavily shelled the city, and many people evacuated. However, in 2022, the Russians failed to capture Soledar.
In 2023, despite heavy losses, the Wagner Group intensified their assaults. According to the deputy head of the Ukrainian mission to the OSCE, Nataliya Kostenko, Russia suffered more losses in the battle for Soledar than in two Chechen wars combined.
The city fell under occupation on January 25, 2023, when Ukrainian forces retreated from Soledar.
A few days after the start of the full-scale invasion, the Tyshchuk family moved to Kolomyia, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast and later to Khmelnytskyi. They left sentimental items in their apartment.
"In August, I asked volunteers to retrieve my banner, but they said, 'Are you kidding? You can't give up!' Later, my husband visited the apartment and took the banner and our family photo album. My mother also came and took our vyshyvanka embroideries and family photos from the wall."
Natalia finds it hardest to lose the opportunity to return home. She misses the family gatherings around the table in their cozy apartment.
Once, in Khmelnytskyi, I saw salt lamps like the ones we had in Soledar. It felt like a sign. I also remember home when I see packs of salt from various manufacturers trying to copy the style of Artemsil. It makes me smile.Natalia Tyshchuk, public activist
But Natalia has the original. She keeps three packs of salt, one of which was produced on February 28, 2022, when the enterprise was still operating. Whenever she goes, she takes the memorable salt with her.
"My great-grandchildren will know about Soledar"
The Tyshchuk family's apartment is gone, destroyed like most buildings in Soledar.
Witnesses say no building in the city remains intact. The salt mines and Artemsil buildings were also severely damaged.
Every frame of destruction I see on social media hurts my heart. I feel hatred. And a thirst for revenge.Natalia Tyshchuk, public activist
She mourns the most the loss of her home library, which she had carefully curated over the years. It contained many books with the authors' autographs.
"In 2024, I was at a concert by Serhiy Zhadan and had his book but didn't approach him. I just couldn't bring myself to do it."
Natalia believes that Soledar will be rebuilt someday. She envisions Ukrainian salt being mined there again and linden trees blooming on Karpinskoho Street.
It will take many years. Maybe it will happen in the twilight of my life. But I am sure that my grandchildren will know about this city and perhaps visit it. The most important thing is that this territory belongs to Ukraine.Natalia Tyshchuk, public activist