“We are genetically programmed for unity”

Anastasia Ivanova, winner in the audience award nomination (pictured right), and Tetiana Skaprovska, chairperson of the Liubashivka raion administration, Odesa oblast (also known as volunteer Dalia Severyn), visited Den’s editorial office to receive the valuable prizes: “Thank you for a major event in photo journalism, the appreciation of my picture, and the bouquet of emotions that the photo exhibit presents.” Den’s editor-in-chief Larysa Ivshyna wished there would be more “streamlets” from various nooks of Ukraine, which will flow into one picture – “The family photo album of Ukraine”

“It is sad that I am taking part in the Den’s Photo Competition with a tragic photograph. I wish we would have no pictures like this and only photograph children’s smiles, flowers, and happy moments of life. My greatest pride is that this snapshot has caused thousands of people to think over such things as friendship, honor, conscience, and humanness, and has become a symbol of the grand personality of the dead hero Vadym Matrosov,” Anastasia Ivanova says.

It came as a shock to Ivanova that her picture Beside a Friend’s Grave won the Audience Award at the Den’s 18th International Photo Competition. “I thought a positive photo would win, for our people are so much tired of the ravages of war that they would rather like to draw the positive from at least television and pictures. Besides, the photo is unprofessional and was taken onto an ordinary tablet,” Anastasia explains. Incidentally, she is the spokesperson of the Liubashivka Raion Administration, Odesa oblast.

It is not only visitors to our photo exhibit who singled out the picture that shows a soldier who has fallen asleep by his comrade’s grave. The photograph also received awards from the National University of Ostroh Academy and Iryna Herashchenko, the First Vice-Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament.

The picture forces one to reflect on some profound things that concern not only the realities of the war in eastern Ukraine. “Am I worthy of a friend like this?” the author asks. We spoke to Anastasia Ivanova on how this photograph influences people and about the value of life as such. We began with the history of this striking photo.

“THE PICTURE WAS CALLED A SYMBOL OF THE WAR IN THE EAST”

“This story began with a tragic event – Vadym Matrosov, a Donbas-Ukraine Battalion serviceman nicknamed ‘Boatswain,’ died on September 8 this year in Marinka as a result of mine-explosion wounds. His funeral on September 12 gathered his comrades, including the battalion commander who spoke a lot about Vadym, about how brave and devoted to Ukraine he was.

“I took the photograph by pure chance, finding myself in the right place at the right time. In about four hours after the funeral, our raion administration chairperson Tetiana Skaprovska and I realized that we had forgotten to lay one more wreath at Vadym’s grave and decided to take it to the cemetery. When we arrived, people had already gone, but we saw a striking picture – a soldier is lying by the grave. This made not only our hands and legs, but also every cell of the brain tremble. Shock, stupor, flesh creeping… For the first time in my life, it was incredibly difficult to photograph: I felt dizzy, a lump in the throat choked my breath, and tears blurred everything before my eyes. I took just a couple of shots.

BESIDE A FRIEND’S GRAVE / Photo by Anastasia IVANOVA

“The story of the soldier in anguish over his lost friend is also very oppressive. Matrosov’s wife told me about his destiny. I learned from her that he was born and raised in Donetsk and the war had taken the life of his parents, robbed him of marital bliss, and swallowed his own self. Vadym and he lived in a dugout for 120 days, which cemented a true manly friendship.

“When I saw this boy, I had a pulsating thought: ‘Do I have a friend like this? Can I be a friend like this to anybody?’ You begin to think over the way you live, over the things you never ponder on daily.”

What brought this picture to the Den’s photo competition?

“Nothing would have perhaps happened but for Tetiana Skaprovska. In a few weeks’ time, she placed this photo in Facebook. Odesa volunteers noticed the picture, and it got almost 3,000 reposts within 12 hours. This picture was called a symbol of the war in the east, the most successful photo of this war. And, what is more, this livened up volunteers. Matrosov is survived by two three-year-old twin daughters, one of whom needed urgent surgery. The child has already been operated upon now, and the Matrosov family is being constantly supported.

“After some time, Den’s photography editor Mykola Tymchenko phoned to the raion administration and invited me to take part in the photo competition. It was so unexpected! Naturally, I agreed at once, although I doubted whether it was worthwhile to send a picture on this topic. Then I realized that people must see this photo. This picture will cause many to think over some important things. It really inspires me to read comments on your website, which shows that people see my work and ponder over the most important moral values. It is very gratifying that it will play an educative role in the life of many people.”

“DEN’S COMPETITION INSPIRES”

It was unexpected for you to participate in the Den’s competition. And what was your reaction to victory in several nominations?

“When my little son and I watched the online broadcast of the photo exhibit’s opening, I hoped that something would also be said about us. And here you are – an Ostroh Academy award! We were happy that our work got an award. Then I came to know that Iryna Herashchenko had also awarded me a prize for this picture – it was very pleasant and unexpected.

“I dreamed of visiting the exhibit’s closing ceremony, but Kyiv was snow-bound, and I failed to do so. At 11 p.m. on November 13, I decided to open Den’s website just to see what the results were and who received the Audience Award. Frankly, I didn’t expect to win. This event triggered a pleasant surprise and a storm of positive emotions.”

In general, how often and what do you photograph?

“We have no time to do this professionally. I was recently on maternity leave, and I’ve been in the current office for six months. At work, I photograph daily the events in our raion and write about them.

“Incidentally, after participating in the Den’s exhibit, I began to dream of having a professional photo camera and practicing photography in earnest, for it is so fascinating! Taking part in the photo competition is a very important landmark in my life, which inspires me to strive for new achievements. I am in raptures over your work and wish you a happy 20th anniversary!”

The impression is that Liubashivka residents take the Donbas military events very close to heart. How does your community help the military?

“A year ago, before becoming a civil servant, the Liubashivka Raion Administration Chairperson Tetiana Skaprovska founded ‘Dalia Severyn’s Hundred’ in Odesa, which has already helped about 35,000 servicemen. This organization continues volunteering today.

“There is also a volunteer center in Liubashivka, which constantly helps the military. Recently Liubashivka residents sent aid to the 137th Independent Marine Battalion stationed in the Mariupol sector.

“So many people have already seen Beside a Friend’s Grave, and I wish the number of viewers would further increase. It would be good if the one who sowed the seeds of an accursed war in our soil also saw this photo and understood at last that the invincible strength of Ukrainians lies in their unity. As you can see, it is impossible to disunite and divide us, rob us of our native land, and separate friends even after death. We are genetically programmed for unity.

“We will always remember Vadym Matrosov. Sincere respect for a true Friend.”