On the day I was scheduled to host the opening of an exhibition about photographers-turned-soldiers in Kiev, I woke up to the sound of an explosion. I go to the bathroom, which is the safest place in the apartment. An extra wall there will protect you from debris and broken glass. Applying mascara, she monitors the types of missiles Russia is launching into the Ukrainian capital. This time it’s ballistics.learn it within hours 39 people injured, 4 civilians killed in morning attack Located in two residential areas of Kiev.
it is 713th day of full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Mr. Denis Krivi, the landscape photographer I am scheduled to open tonight, will not be with us. He took up arms to defend Ukraine and was killed in Bakhmut in 2023. His photographs of the nature of southern Ukraine, once inhabited by Cossacks, demonstrate the urgency of protecting our landscapes. Dennis’ story is now Cultural figures stolen in wara series of literary portraits that I curated for PEN Ukraine and Ukrainian media in order to preserve the fabric of national memory and testify to the onslaught of Russian genocide.
Genocide, identity and culture
Article 6 of the Rome Statute, the basis of the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction, defines genocide as an act committed with the intention of destroying, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. As international lawyer Wayne Jordash explains in a conversation with journalist Natalia Gumenyuk: An unprecedented challenge facing international law in Ukraine is prosecuting state genocideTogether with journalist Natalia Gumenyuk, he said the unprecedented challenge facing international law in Ukraine is prosecuting genocide against a nation rather than an ethnic group, as in the classic Rwanda example.
Destroying a nation involves physical destruction accompanied by the erasure of collective identity. People pursue cultural symbols such as: 902 cultural heritage sites damaged by Russia Iconic landscapes will disappear, including nature reserves in the Donetsk region and lands heavily mined and destroyed during the fighting with the Black Lands in southern Ukraine. Finally, to destroy a nation, target those who express national identity.
Cultural figures are just such people. PEN Ukraine list Dozens of names are among cultural figures killed in Russia’s war. Some of them became part of the Ukrainian cultural canon, like artist Lyubov Panchenko, a Soviet dissident who starved to death during the Russian occupation of Bucha in 2022. Some, like the 20, did not live long enough to build a legacy. -Anton Prasolenko, a 3-year-old actor who took up arms and died in battle. Additionally, there were social figures close to me, such as Victoria Amelina, a writer and war crimes investigator who was fatally wounded in the missile attack on Kramatorsk.
“My Western colleagues say that it is almost impossible to classify Russia’s actions as genocide of Ukrainians,” said writer and Ukrainian military officer Oleksandr Miked. I have to reassure you. When genocide comes to your land, it will be easy to recognize. ”
You will recognize it when you find yourself accepting the idea that you could be killed for being who you are. You’ll joke about journalists who should be banned from writing obituaries. You make a mental note of your friend’s funeral preferences. They can display gallows humor as they text each other from their bomb shelters. Share your latest writing drafts before traveling to frontline areas in case others need to send them to a publisher.
A line from Artem Azoyan’s wartime poem reads: “The people I know are now on these streets.” A war-torn Ukrainian city is filled with streets, squares and schools named after fellow cultural activists who survived the genocide.. Funerals are a frequent meeting place for bereaved families.
cultural resistance
Turning pain into fuel is a recurring motif in the film. A film that represents the Ukrainian culture that flourished just before the full-scale invasion., pamphir (2022) set designer Volodymyr Chorny was killed on the front lines in 2023. Ten years into the war, turning pain into fuel is essential for Ukraine’s survival. We resist by editing manuscripts that their authors never complete, and by holding exhibitions of artists who never produce new work. While the bravest among us join the military to fight for physical survival, others continue their work of memory to ensure they serve the cause of justice.
It is essential to hold Russia accountable, but There is not only a future in Ukraine. Nobel Peace Prize laureate and human rights activist Oleksandra Matvichuk has repeatedly stated that “there will be no peace in our region unless war crimes are punished one by one.” Russia went unpunished for its crimes in Chechnya, Georgia, Mali, Libya, and Syria. Russians believe they can do whatever they want. Our pain is the result of this deeply ingrained perception of impunity. ”
For outside observers, US military aid to Ukraine was blocked and the resulting ammunition shortage caused the Ukrainian withdrawal, especially while Russia reportedly received hundreds of ballistic missiles from Iran. Now, the task of holding Russians accountable for their crimes may seem illusory. . Still, two years ago, when Russia attacked Ukraine on all fronts, few believed it would last more than a week. Just like today two years ago, We are not just tasked with resisting Russian aggression.We must also expend energy on dispelling our allies’ doubts about whether we can succeed. If given the means. It’s time for them to realize that we have too many challenges and engage in a common fight. If the Allies are defeated by Ukraine, they will take over the routine of checking the direction of trajectory in the bathroom.