In June of 2022, a little more than three months after the start of the ruzzian war in Ukraine, I was privileged to accompany the Rotary Club Kyiv-Sophia visiting the city of Irpen, not far outside of Kyiv. Irpen was where the ruzzian army was stopped on their way to take the Ukrainian capital in the first days of the invasion. It was the site of incredible violence, death, destruction and horror. Neighborhoods were wiped out as families cowered together, anywhere they could find shelter.
We visited one of Irpen’s neighborhoods where a member of our party’s uncle had lived. While he had survived, his home was destroyed. We walked the streets and into some of the bombed out homes. I can’t imagine the horror that these people have endured and continue to suffer from. One of the locals pointed to a home where a family had been killed. He told us, there were two small children, along with their parents all killed.
You could tell that this had once been a nice neighborhood, as a matter of fact the area was known for its artists, writers and creative types who were drawn to Irpen’s easy going charming culture.
As a photographer, the saddest photos I have ever taken were of Irpen’s tiny little playground. It was the site of a violent firefight between the invaders and the valiant Ukrainian forces. The colorful, swings, slides, make believe cars and trucks were riddled with bullet holes. I imagined the beautiful children that laughed and played here and how they giggled sliding down the slide now ripped and scared by bullet holes. I imagined them at the top of the slide yelling to mom and dad sitting on a bench nearby to watch That bench is nothing but a brittle charred frame where parents relaxed and with loving eyes, watched their little ones play. What happened to those children I wondered, what happen to mom and dad?
I could feel myself chocking up and so I put the camera down for awhile and cried for the people of Irpen. Why? Why do so many have to suffer? Because of the delusional thinking of a small, cruel, insecure man and his country. How could someone be so evil and cruel?
As I was taking this time for myself one of our group wondered by. She was a young college student in her mid 20’s. She told me that she wasn’t going back to school because she wanted to stay here and help fight for Ukraine. I asked her if she ever went home at night and just cried. Her answer surprised me, she said “No, I don’t have time to cry. I am a warrior.”
Now it makes sense. After all the time I have spent in Ukraine since the war started, I’ve learned much about the Ukrainian people, they are warriors. I have discovered a people who are infinitely creative, strong, determined and have such a great sense of humor, some would say a gallows humor. I have come to love them and they make me want to return to Ukraine over and over again. I want to be with them. I want to be in the same foxhole with them, even if I can only stay awhile. Maybe I think their courage will rub off on me.
Here’s an example of that Ukrainian humor. This is a joke told by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he told in an interview with David Letterman.
“Two Jewish guys from Odesa meet up,” Zelensky says. “One asks the other: ‘So what’s the situation? What are people saying?’” “And he goes, ‘What are people saying? They are saying it’s a war.'”
“What kind of war?”
“Russia is fighting NATO.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes, yes! Russia is fighting NATO.”
“So how’s it going?”
“Well, 70,000 Russian soldiers are dead. The missile stockpile has almost been depleted. A lot of equipment is damaged, blown up.”
“And what about NATO?”
“What about NATO? NATO hasn’t even arrived yet.”
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