Chaika Afanasiy, Fedora and Victor

Afanasiy Chaika was a builder by profession (he was engaged in digging ditches for further construction of industrial facilities, railways and highways).

 At one of the capital's construction sites, he met Petro Ekel. The men came from neighboring villages of the Kyiv region, so they became friends and were frequent guests at each other's homes. Over the years, the men created their own construction companies, and moved to Kyiv. However, the happy life of these families was destroyed by the war.

 Afanasiy was immediately mobilized into the Red Army, but not for a long. He was captured by the German army not far from Pyriatyn as a part of a 70,000-strong detachment. Later prisoners were transferred to a specialized camp.  In 1941 the man returned to his native Kurenivka neighborhood in Kyiv.

 However, the most difficult times in the history of these families were ahead ... On September 28 new German authorities published announcements, with the order to all Jews, to gather with their valuables. Ekel’s family obeyed the order. Petro’s wife was shot, and the man and his son miraculously escaped: taking advantage of the early twilight, they managed to slide into the ditch with the corpses before the shots.  Chaika’s family lived not far from Babyn Yar, so survivors decided to ask them for help. After a short deliberation, they decided to hide the escapees.

 A few days later, Petro went out into the city, trying to find new documents, but he failed. After that Ekels decided to return to his native Kaganovichi, where Peter was captured and shot. His son Yakiv returned back to the capital, where after a little stay in the Ckaika’s apartment decided to cross the frontline.

 Thanks to Chaika's provisions and warm clothes, Yakiv, together with a group of refugees, managed to reach Tahanroh, where, covered with white fabric, he managed to walk across the icy bay and reach to the other side of the front.

 After the war, in 1946, Yakiv returned to the capital where he met with his saviors, namely Afanasiy, Fedora, and their son Victor.

 Afanasiy Chaika died in 1962, Fedora Chaika in 1982. Yakiv Yekel himself died in 1992, the year when the Chaika’s family were nominated for the title of the "Righteous Among the Nations" ...