FreeСХІД.ua #7 Story from Volnovakha, children of the “grey zone” and four movies about Donbas

Hi, dear friends!

We decided not to overload this issue with news from Donetsk and Lugansk. Instead we’d like to tell more about the people – their lives, their passion, their struggle.

We’ll also tell about children of war living in the “grey zone”. Their story is heartbreaking, but we still need to share it, since people should understand their circumstances and try helping them and their parents where possible.

#FreeZone

Powerful story from the frontline zone delivered from Volnovakha by Dmitri Durniev covers a number of issues: How do different carrier clans get along with each other, What does frontline mail business look like, and Why the head of Volnovakha administration is firmly opposed to adding some of the localities to so called “grey zone”?

“Prewar Volnovakha enjoyed status of the capital of the largest agricultural region in Ukraine, it took pride in its special Armenian-style shashlyk (kebab – ed.) and Greek-style chebureks (meat pastry – ed.) served at a café at a nearby rout to Crimea. Railroad station was the last stop at a dead-end rail to Maryupil at the Azov Sea.

Now, there are no tourists going down that rout. But the station turned into a hub for both people living on the territories that are not controlled by Ukraine, and for internally displaced persons. A bunch of new opportunities emerged in town that used to be half asleep. And by the end of the fourth year of war people learned to use them."

Watch this video for secrets of real Bugas chebureks:

#FreePeople

What impact the war has on kids from the “grey zone”?

Journalists from BBC News Ukraine visited Zaitseve, Avdiivka, Novolugansk, Maiorsk and Popasna. These are their overwhelming stories.

One morning after long-lasting shelling little Kristinka, resident of a frontline village, woke up with absolutely no hair. “Everyone says it’s nervous disorder. Stress, scare and  nervous breakdown” – sais her mom. A 14 year-old Margarita from Avdiivka who lives at one of the most dangerous streets of Ukraine learned her way around as she goes to school. If the shell fire is on the right she walks along the street on the right from her house, if the fire is on the left – Margarita takes a detour.     

Why is this important? Total number of kids in the “grey zone” is about 200 thousand. There are 600 thousand children living in Donbas. According to psychology specialists, childhood war trauma can make person unhappy, overly sensitive and dysfunctional at later age. There are no definite estimates for the expected number of kids with PTSD, but it might be huge. And it is really difficult to project what will happen with todays “war kids” in 20-30 years.

Volunteer Dmytro Shybalov and his music therapy

He is always smiling and cheerful. He meets you with a hug and asks about your wellbeing with great sincerity. He is the man with open heart and perfect soul. His name is Dmytro Shybalov, 29, who left Donetsk when the war had broken out and started helping people in need. Donetsk News covered his story.   

Dmytro moved from Donetsk to Kyiv at the beginning of 2016. He devoted himself to music, mastering djembe, an African original drum. Dmytro and other musicians founded Rise Up civic group that commits to music therapy for children with disabilities.

Such therapy is essential for disabled and autistic children and for resettled children with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. The group has six permanent members; two of them are internally displaced from Donbas region. 

Angelina Kasianova – the voice of Ukraine at the European Youth Parliament

She is only 15 and for the next 18 month she will be the “voice of Ukraine” at the European Youth Parliament, the organization that encourages young generation to actively engage in discussion about peace, democracy, non-discrimination and other important cultural and citizenship issues.

Interview quote:

"Ukraine has just let know the rest of the world that we don’t stand still, that we are doning something. It is extremely important for us today to create our own local council. It should consist of 20-25 teenagers who discuss pressing issues specific to Ukraine, and then I, as the deputy, will get them across to the European Youth Parliament. But the most important part is – it should not be just talk, we should do something, find ways to communicate our issues to the adults and look for solutions together. One must not forget that it is the child’s voice that sounds the loudest".

#FreeCulture

An art historian and mosaic researcher Ewgenia Moliar dreams of opening museum of monumental and decoration art in Maryupil. There are eight major community centers, more than five cinemas and about dozen mosaics reflecting all aspects of Ukrainian monumental and decoration art in relatively small Maryupil.

The city witnessed creative impetus of Alla Gorska who made two famous mosaic panels in “Ukraina” restaurant together with a group of artists. The panels are the classic example of mosaic art of Ukrainian muralism of 60-ies. Free in their creativity and inspired by magnificent views of the sea that opened from the restaurant’s windows the artists reviewed the original sketch of one of the panel and put in a petrel – bird famous for its fluttering flights– in the center of composition.    

Panels “Petrel” and “Tree of life” are experimental fusion of folklore, world trends and soviet art. The fusion happily created a totally new plastic language. Later the name of dissident Gorska was crossed out of the list of authors, and some of her works were destroyed. But panels “Petrel” and “Tree of life” survived as locals craftsmen ordered to get rid of the artworks did not destroy the mosaics but hid them behind a false wall. Today both mosaics are in the open but no one sees them as the restaurant has been closed for years.

#FreeMOVIES

This year several movies about Donbas will hit the Ukrainian box-office. Announcements for some of them are already out.

«Balu crossing»

Documentary “Balu crossing” by Eugeni Kovalenko and Sergi Spasokukutski tells a story of important tactical positions and international rout “Kharkiv-Rostov” block. This particular crossing – Debaltsevo-Fashchivka-Chernukhino-Nikishino – was the major rout to the “C” sector headquarters compound and Debeltsevo foothold. The crossing was named after the first officer in command – Captain Ilagir Bagirov, a.k.a. Balu. As he gets in besiegement the officer makes his own choice - surrender or die – and blows himself up with his enemies.

Call sigh “Banderas”

War thriller “Call sign ‘Banderas’” tells a story of an intelligence agent who uncovers a group of saboteurs and his hunt for Russian bomber “Hodok”. The action takes place near native village of Anton Saienko (a.k.a. Banderas) which complicates the job of the intelligence unit, as Anton is considered a traitor by the locals.

“Frost”

Rokas is a Latvian man who decides to go to Ukraine with humanitarian convoy. His romantic idea of war is smashed by brutal reality, as he finds himself in the combat zone accompanied by two journalists. But there is romance in the movie – amidst the ruins of war Rokas finds his true love.

 “The 300 Spartans of Lugansk airport”

There was a movie about Donetsk cyborgs (defenders of Donetsk Airport – ed.), now it is time to remember those who fought for Lugansk. The movie by Sergiy Sotnichenko tells the story of those defenders who had held Lugansk airport for over half a year in 2014. 300 Spartans repulsed the attacks from regular Russian troops that suffered defeat for the first time in the history of this war.

«Wild field»

In October Ukraine will have the opportunity to watch the movie “Wild field” based on the novel “Voroshilovograd” by Sergiy Zhadan. The novel itself was named the best book of the decade by BBC. It tells a story of a man who returns home to his childhood town at Donbas. He wants to visit his brother, a gas station owner. Brother goes missing and local mob is trying to take over hisbusiness. The protagonist stays in town.

#Yours Donetsk Press Club