The war between Ukraine and Russia has been going on for several years now; it began de facto in 2014, but only escalated into a full-scale armed conflict in 2022.
There is a great deal of news coming from the front line, but this conflict, like any conflict, has above all a huge impact on the civilian populations still living in those regions. My aim was to try to understand their point of view, starting with one city in particular.
There is a great deal of news coming from the front line, but this conflict, like any conflict, has above all a huge impact on the civilian populations still living in those regions. My aim was to try to understand their point of view, starting with one city in particular.
If it weren’t for the air raid sirens and the destroyed buildings, Odessa might seem like any other European city. The residents have been living with the war for years; by now, it’s safe to say they’ve grown accustomed to it.
Accustomed to the sirens wailing day and night, accustomed to the city’s gradual destruction, accustomed to the constant nighttime bombings that make the ground tremble and the walls shake, accustomed to death.
Accustomed to war.
Despite all this, life goes on.
The Odessa International Cemetery born in recent years and tha graves already counts in hundreds.
Mostly soldiers, mostly young, many children with their families.
The flapping of flags in the wind, the tinkling of small bells, they seemed to fill the world.
No other sound.
At the Caritas Bizantino center in Odessa, displaced children and families from Russian-speaking areas are welcomed, educated, and made aware of their situations. Lately, there have been many families from Crimea.
Activities include free play, Ukrainian language classes and education on explosives and dangerous situations: how to recognise them and which authorities to contact.
The children were so used to the bombings that they were actually happy to run to the shelter to play freely.
Written on the drawing:
“Karitasiky!” (Caritas children)
“Our motto consists of three words: Karitasiky and victory!”
“Ka-ri-ta-si-ky!”
Consequences of war are becoming sightseeing.
Bombs rained down on the city every night, especially on the second one. Down in the shelters, the booms of explosions and the shaking walls. Sometimes the rhythmic bursts of anti-aircraft fire.
Some people try to sleep, some pray, and most chat, trying to take their minds off things.
Soldiers are treated as heroes and martyrs. Monuments, memorials, and events honoring the fallen can be found throughout the city.
But young people are afraid. The age for mandatory military service is being lowered, and many youngs are looking for alternatives, including fleeing the country illegally. At the border, every vehicle is searched for contraband and possible fugitives.
Not everyone wants to become a hero.
