Nazar Furyk - Stand with Ukraine
These are my archival photos from 2015 to 2018. During the last few days I kept going back in my archive and my memory to those years - when there was an occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation; when the war in the Eastern part of Ukraine, which was not acknowledged in time, started and continued until February 24, until now the full-scale invasion...
In 2014, when Ukrainians did succeed in being at a high point of freedom, feeling united as Ukrainians and as a nation, to bring down the pro-Russian government. Right after that Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine, putin and his council approved their military intervention to our country to "normalize the political situation". For me it's important to analyze and to reflect on how it was and how things have changed now.
In my experience it was very surreal (in a bad way) to go from peaceful Kyiv in 2015 to the East as a photographer, and see the exact opposite of peace and a safe life. I had to quickly adapt to that terrible war routine in the East, because otherwise you had no chance to stay alive.
February 24, the first days of the full-scale invasion of Russia into the territory of my country I could not film, could not eat and could not sleep. My fear was very real. It was like a balloon - bigger than my body and the bodies of my closest people all together.
What Russia is doing now - this is fascism and genocide. They attack maternity wards and bomb shelters with civilians, buses with civilians and homes. I want it all to end as soon as possible, but end in a way that in 5-10-30 years history does not repeat itself. I want the evil empire [russia] to fall, and all who carry out these atrocities and committing genocide should be fully punished.
I ask you for your support and help for Ukraine and Ukrainians. For example you can donate for Come Back Alive (https://savelife.in.ua/en/donate/), a charity that has effectively raised over USD 21.5 million for the army and humanitarian needs since the beginning of Russian aggression in 2014. Also here are other options to help our country: https://eu-ua.com.
