Funeral workers in Ukraine endure the hardships brought about by military conflict
In the heart of Ukraine, a city named Sumy, located near the Russian border, has been under constant bombardment since the beginning of Russia's invasion. This city, once bustling with life, now echoes with the sombre sounds of grief and resilience.
At the forefront of this resilience are two individuals - Svitlana Ostapenko, a funeral director, and Igor Kruzo, an artist. Ostapenko has been preparing the dead for their final journey for five years, while Kruzo creates granite tombstones for the victims of the war.
The new wing of the cemetery in Sumy, reserved for soldiers, now features a sea of yellow and blue flags among the gravestones, symbols of Ukraine's unwavering spirit. Yet, the number of dead, including young people from Russia's invasion, continues to overwhelm Ostapenko.
Kruzo, on the other hand, finds it challenging to live with the faces he has rendered for the gravestones. The emotional impact on funeral workers during the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, specifically concerning the experiences of Ostapenko and Kruzo, remains largely undocumented.
On April 13, a double Russian ballistic missile strike on the city claimed the lives of 35 people and wounded dozens. Despite this, Ostapenko continues to work non-stop, her spirit unbroken. The Ukrainian regional authorities continue to compile reports on Russian strikes in the ongoing war, but the emotional toll on those like Ostapenko and Kruzo remains largely unreported.
Russian troops have brought the fighting to within 20 kilometers (12 miles) of Sumy, making the city a hotspot of conflict. Yet, the resilience of its people, exemplified by Ostapenko and Kruzo, continues to shine through. Their stories serve as a testament to the human spirit's ability to endure in the face of adversity.
As the world watches, the people of Sumy, led by Ostapenko and Kruzo, continue their fight for peace and dignity. Their stories serve as a reminder that in times of war, it is the ordinary people who demonstrate extraordinary courage and resilience.
- The world remains largely uninformed about the emotional toll on funeral workers like Svitlana Ostapenko during the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, particularly in the city of Sumy.
- Amidst the ongoing war-and-conflicts and despite being under constant bombardment, Igor Kruzo, an artist from Sumy, finds creating granite tombstones for the city's victims challenging.
- General-news outlets have reported on Russian strikes in Sumy, but the resilience and experiences of ordinary individuals such as funeral director, Svitlana Ostapenko and artist, Igor Kruzo, remain understated in the general news.
- In the midst of the East-West war-and-conflicts, art takes on a new meaning in Sumy, where Igor Kruzo creates granite tombstones, symbolizing the pain and loss in the city, while Svitlana Ostapenko, a funeral director, continues to work tirelessly amidst the general-news headlines of the war.
