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# 8 seconds
- URL: https://the-well-architected-cloud.com/blog/8-seconds/
- Published: 2022-09-18T18:00:07.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-18T12:23:22.000Z
- Description: Chapter VI. Quite a year and it's only september.
- Author: Sascha Fedorenko
- Tags: Newsletter, #substack, #substack-type-newsletter, #substack-access-everyone, #Import 2026-08-18 11:52

In February, I thought I had a busy life.

Little did I know.

Today’s Best Band Ever™ is Max Richter. Not really a band, but a composer.

In case it’s not clear from my last name, I’m originally from Ukraine. Not living there for a couple of decades now, but still have friends and family there.

In some cases had.

My brother, after several agonising weeks, of their town being surrounded and [bombed by the “liberators“](https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Chernihiv%5Fbreadline%5Fmassacre?ref=the-well-architected-cloud.com), decided to try and take his family out of the war zone.

The chances were 50/50 at best. Russians could not take the city, but were shooting anybody trying to leave.

It was maddening, but they made it. Many didn’t.

The normally 9-hour trip to the western border, took them about a week.

They made it to safety, eventually.

It’s been almost 6 months now.

They still get spooked by the sound of aeroplanes.

Later, he told me that during the siege, he learned that they have 8 seconds to get into the cellar after hearing the cannonade.

Whatever you do. Wherever you are. 24 hours a day.

You have 8 seconds.

He suddenly died in his sleep on 10th of September. Natural causes.

He was 50.

This war took him. Along with thousands of other Ukrainians.

There’s a hope that the war’s death toll for Ukrainians will be below 100’000.

Rest in peace.

Rest in peace.