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Train driver peeking out of an old Soviet locomotive nicknamed Sergey after a journey from Lviv to Ivano-Frankivsk. He allowed me in and I had a privilege to take a look at the engine.
Train driver peeking out of an old Soviet locomotive nicknamed Sergey after a journey from Lviv to Ivano-Frankivsk. He allowed me in and I had a privilege to take a look at the engine.
Ukrainian of a Russian ethnicity from Crimea living in Slovakia permanently. She helped me to buy a SIM card and to orientate myself after the arrival to Uzhhorod.
Ukrainian of a Russian ethnicity from Crimea living in Slovakia permanently. She helped me to buy a SIM card and to orientate myself after the arrival to Uzhhorod.
Ukrainian family from Mukachevo. The father worked in the Czech republic for 15 years. His wife prepared varenyky with quark for me.
Ukrainian family from Mukachevo. The father worked in the Czech republic for 15 years. His wife prepared varenyky with quark for me.
This is a place with a T. G. Masaryk bust, the first Czechoslovakia president, in Uzhhorod. The Ukrainian is my guide.
This is a place with a T. G. Masaryk bust, the first Czechoslovakia president, in Uzhhorod. The Ukrainian is my guide.
Ukrainian husband and a wife on a journey from Uzhhorod to Lviv. They offered me food and drinks for free.
Ukrainian husband and a wife on a journey from Uzhhorod to Lviv. They offered me food and drinks for free.
A Ukrainian who I met in Lviv. He took me to a café where proper Turkish coffee was prepared. He can speak 7 languages.
A Ukrainian who I met in Lviv. He took me to a café where proper Turkish coffee was prepared. He can speak 7 languages.
There is a student of maths at university on the left side. There is a Ukrainian who helped me to find a hostel after I had asked her on the right side. She stayed with me for 3 days even though we couldn’t understand each other.
There is a student of maths at university on the left side. There is a Ukrainian who helped me to find a hostel after I had asked her on the right side. She stayed with me for 3 days even though we couldn’t understand each other.
A man at a park in Lviv. He was talking keenly how important is to defend against threats and danger.
A man at a park in Lviv. He was talking keenly how important is to defend against threats and danger.
Catherine from Kyiv. She speaks Russian predominantly at home, but she feels to be a Ukrainian. She was my guide in Kyiv.
Catherine from Kyiv. She speaks Russian predominantly at home, but she feels to be a Ukrainian. She was my guide in Kyiv.
Two girls who helped me to get to a bus station which departed to a villa of Viktor Yanukovych. This attraction wasn’t in guides yet when I was there. Mr Yanukovych fled to Russian after the protests erupted when he hadn’t signed the association agreement with the European union. Vladimir Putin’s special security forces helped him to get out of Ukraine.
Two girls who helped me to get to a bus station which departed to a villa of Viktor Yanukovych. This attraction wasn’t in guides yet when I was there. Mr Yanukovych fled to Russian after the protests erupted when he hadn’t signed the association agreement with the European union. Vladimir Putin’s special security forces helped him to get out of Ukraine.
There is a Ukrainian who studied with me in Budapest on the right side. Part of his family lives in Crimea. He had troubles to get in Crimea after its annexation. There is Jana on the left side. She is a football lover with strong woman charm which forces even the toughest men to soften up a little bit.
There is a Ukrainian who studied with me in Budapest on the right side. Part of his family lives in Crimea. He had troubles to get in Crimea after its annexation. There is Jana on the left side. She is a football lover with strong woman charm which forces even the toughest men to soften up a little bit.
I met this Ukrainian on a train from Moldova to Odessa. He is a beekeeper. He was showing me photos of his beehives. Then he asked me to show him mine.
I met this Ukrainian on a train from Moldova to Odessa. He is a beekeeper. He was showing me photos of his beehives. Then he asked me to show him mine.
Fellow-passengers in a compartment of a train from Odessa to Chop. They invited me to drink sparkled wine with them. They offered me Odessa tomatoes which they claimed to be the best in the world. The youngest one sitting next to me is Tatiana. She is an architect.
Fellow-passengers in a compartment of a train from Odessa to Chop. They invited me to drink sparkled wine with them. They offered me Odessa tomatoes which they claimed to be the best in the world. The youngest one sitting next to me is Tatiana. She is an architect.
A Ukrainian on the way from Batumi to Chornomorsk near Odessa. She showed me a photo of her daughter. She added that her daughter is dead. She didn’t show any emotions. I passed by her after some time. I noticed that there was a man and she was crying on his shoulder. He was comforting her.
A Ukrainian on the way from Batumi to Chornomorsk near Odessa. She showed me a photo of her daughter. She added that her daughter is dead. She didn’t show any emotions. I passed by her after some time. I noticed that there was a man and she was crying on his shoulder. He was comforting her.
A bartender with a strict expression in his face and drunk guests at a ferry bar, Batumi – Chornomorks line.
A bartender with a strict expression in his face and drunk guests at a ferry bar, Batumi – Chornomorks line.
A Ukrainian passionately talking about independence of Ukraine and evil Russia.
A Ukrainian passionately talking about independence of Ukraine and evil Russia.
Unknown fellow-passenger.
Unknown fellow-passenger.
A Ukrainian sitting next to me at the same table during the Batumi – Chornomorsk voyage.
A Ukrainian sitting next to me at the same table during the Batumi – Chornomorsk voyage.
Unknown fellow-passenger.
Unknown fellow-passenger.
Old man who takes care of a Hostel XXL in Cherkasy. The city is located on the bank of Dnieper. He is a father of the flat owner. He speaks Russian only. He was helpful. He never left the apartment. He was there as a slave. Once his daughter came over and I felt he didn’t want to do what she told him to. He protested, he just wanted to go out. I could feel absolute darkness coming out of the lady.
Old man who takes care of a Hostel XXL in Cherkasy. The city is located on the bank of Dnieper. He is a father of the flat owner. He speaks Russian only. He was helpful. He never left the apartment. He was there as a slave. Once his daughter came over and I felt he didn’t want to do what she told him to. He protested, he just wanted to go out. I could feel absolute darkness coming out of the lady.
A child on a beach in Cherkasy which is located on the bank of Dnieper. The city survived raids of cossacks in the 17th century.
A child on a beach in Cherkasy which is located on the bank of Dnieper. The city survived raids of cossacks in the 17th century.
Woman on a beach in Cherkasy which is located on the bank of Dnieper. The city survived raids of cossacks in the 17th century.
Woman on a beach in Cherkasy which is located on the bank of Dnieper. The city survived raids of cossacks in the 17th century.
Woman on a beach in Cherkasy which is located on the bank of Dnieper. The city survived raids of cossacks in the 17th century.
Ukrainian living in exile in the USA on a visit at her friends’ in Cherkasy.
Xenia studied economics at The Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherskasy. She spends her free time on beaches and walks. She works at a bank. She honoured me with her presence. Her presence elevated my visit into a better experience. She saw me off to the train station where she waited for a train with me for an hour. Majority of the people speak Russian in Cherkasy or Surzhyk. The Surzhyk is a mixture of Russian and Ukrainian languages.
Xenia studied economics at The Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherskasy. She spends her free time on beaches and walks. She works at a bank. She honoured me with her presence. Her presence elevated my visit into a better experience. She saw me off to the train station where she waited for a train with me for an hour. Majority of the people speak Russian in Cherkasy or Surzhyk. The Surzhyk is a mixture of Russian and Ukrainian languages.
Ukrainian living in exile in the USA on a visit at her friends’ in Cherkasy.
Fellow-passenger on a journey from Taras Shevchenko train station. The station is a very important train junction. She studies university.
Fellow-passenger on a journey from Taras Shevchenko train station. The station is a very important train junction. She studies university.
Mother of the woman from the previous photo. She is also on the way to Ivano-Frankivsk.
Mother of the woman from the previous photo. She is also on the way to Ivano-Frankivsk.
Masha from Ivano-Frankivsk. She is disadvantaged and walks badly. She radiated joy and verve of life which I can’t see in many healthy people. We talked about barrier-free urban spaces in Ukraine. She said it is improving but it is not ideal. She guided me through the whole city, but I went to the city tower from 17th century on my own.
Masha from Ivano-Frankivsk. She is disadvantaged and walks badly. She radiated joy and verve of life which I can’t see in many healthy people. We talked about barrier-free urban spaces in Ukraine. She said it is improving but it is not ideal. She guided me through the whole city, but I went to the city tower from 17th century on my own.
Masha’s friend. They help young people together. They do it at a youth centre Paragraf at the Shevchenko boulevard. There are lazy bags laid in the space. Visitors can lay on them. There is also a bar where you can order a lemonade. The centre concerns itself with how to spend leisure time meaningfully. Cultural events, non-formal education are organized there. It improves spiritual development of the Youth.
Masha’s friend. They help young people together. They do it at a youth centre Paragraf at the Shevchenko boulevard. There are lazy bags laid in the space. Visitors can lay on them. There is also a bar where you can order a lemonade. The centre concerns itself with how to spend leisure time meaningfully. Cultural events, non-formal education are organized there. It improves spiritual development of the Youth.
Irina is 17 years old. She’s already been in 12 countries. She and her mother lived for years in Chile. She studies German and English at school. She speak Ukrainian, German, Spanish and English fluently. When we had a chat about Russian language and Ukrainian identity, a fire emerged in her. The fire for traditions and their own nation.
Irina is 17 years old. She’s already been in 12 countries. She and her mother lived for years in Chile. She studies German and English at school. She speak Ukrainian, German, Spanish and English fluently. When we had a chat about Russian language and Ukrainian identity, a fire emerged in her. The fire for traditions and their own nation.
A Ukrainian enjoying a cup of coffee in the afternoon in Ivano-Frankivsk.
A Ukrainian enjoying a cup of coffee in the afternoon in Ivano-Frankivsk.
A man in a shop with supplements for bodybuilders.
A man in a shop with supplements for bodybuilders.
A couple at a café enjoying their time together in Ivano-Frankivsk.
A couple at a café enjoying their time together in Ivano-Frankivsk.
Auxiliary train driver after his shift who leaded me to the chamber with the engine.
Auxiliary train driver after his shift who leaded me to the chamber with the engine.
·

People of Ukraine

01/03/2022
by

Introduction

The photographs are from two journeys to Ukraine. The first one occured in 2014 a couple of months after the protests at Maidan Nezalezhnosti square in Kyiv. The second one was carried out in 2019. I was returning from Georgia on a ferry on the Black sea.

The article concerns itself with fragments from the journeys. They describe hospitality of Ukrainians and the help which I received from them when I was lost in their own territory. Each photograph has a caption with a little bit of information about what I experienced with the people in the photos. Each of the photo and the caption is sending a deep moral and spiritual message to your minds and hearts.

Random encounters

I met a refugee from Donbas at a hostel. He left because of the war. I showed him a roll of toilet paper with Putin’s face. It cheered him up. He laughed. There were two journalists accommodated in Kyiv. They were on their way to Donbas. There was a bullet-proof vest leant against a wall in their room. They warned me of Russia’s expansionist politics.

Differences in interpretation of reality

It was the first time when I had experienced that the same and the only reality was interpreted in different ways. I couldn’t see any dead and torn-apart bodies of people in the Western media. I could see Russian channels claiming that they were defending ethnic Russians against oppression of the Ukrainian government. When I was watching Ukrainian channels I could see lifeless bodies with shot-through heads. It gave me shivers.

Ukrainians and their relationship towards EU

When I had been in Ukraine for the first time, I was curious about their attitude towards the European Union. The protests in 2014 were caused by not signing an association agreement between the EU and Ukraine. The agreement was supposed to be signed by Viktor Yanukovych, a former Ukrainian president from 2010 until 2014.

During my stay, I asked over 100 people about the topic. Overwhelming majority answered that they want to become a member of the EU.

Hospitality of Ukrainians

When I asked somebody for help, they helped me. I remember that when I didn’t have enough money to buy a bus ticket, a Ukrainian woman bought me one and saved me in Uzhhorod. Then a man who was on the bus to Chop exchanged 200 CZK for hryvnias so that I could carry on with the journey. We were on the way towards the Hungarian border.

I believe that those Ukrainians had myriad of things to do but they were my guides. They helped me to get to hostels. They didn’t leave me behind.

When I’m looking at the photographs. I feel love and gratitude towards the Ukrainians in them. Gratitude because they treated me in a humane way. They will stay in my heart forever.

What about their lives? How are they doing today? Are they alive? Who’s helping them?

Let’s act in a humane way in these circumstances towards the ones who treated me well and let’s allow them to stay in our territory and send them arms until the situation improves.

Břetislav Sobek

My name is Bretislav Sobek. I am curious and don’t understand new things. That is the reason why I ask, I write it down and post it.

I have written hundreds of emails to newspaper’s editorial offices. They have answered me once. They wrote me that if I wanted to write I should study journalism including a link to the right faculty. They said it was supposed to be the right place for me.

Others answered with a suspicion that I was a PR manager of a political party. I just wanted to inform my fellow citizens about what I think was important to them.

I applied for Journalists unions. They didn’t accept me and weren’t able to explain me why. The same went for another ten candidates.

And that’s the reason why I decided to set up my own newspaper and named myself a chief editor.

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