“A photo that our time was calling for”

Director of Aquavita Ltd. Tetiana Yurkova visited Den’s office lately to pay for photo Callsign Sokil (Artur Stepanenko). Let us recall that this photo, shot by photographer Serhii Kharchenko, graced the front page of this newspaper once, and won the Prize of Prizes at Den’s Photo Exhibition this year. It shows a smiling Ukrainian soldier with a tattoo on his arm, which depicts the Coat of Arms of Ukraine and inscription “Freedom or death.” Den auctioned this photo for charitable purposes. Yurkova offered the highest price, amounting to 15,000 hryvnias! Most of this money will be sent directly to Stepanenko, and the remainder will be transferred by this newspaper to Starobilsk-based NGO Freedom for the needs of Ukrainian soldiers.

Den covered the amazing story of Stepanenko before (see Maria Prokopenko’s “Callsign Sokil” in No. 64, October 21). The photo that was displayed at the exhibition was taken on June 10 at a checkpoint near Sloviansk when Stepanenko served as a volunteer with the National Guard. Following the liberation of Sloviansk, “Sokil” went home for a two-month leave, and then was mobilized, this time to serve with the Armed Forces. Stepanenko is now defending the independence of Ukraine in the east as a tank commander fighting in the 3rd Detached Armor Battalion “The Deerslayer.” He was very excited to learn of the charity event held by Den, for our soldiers feel that verbal and moral support is not enough now, as they need material support as well.

“We have seen lately how kind are our people and how much we are ready to support one another,” Den’s editor-in-chief Larysa Ivshyna said. “Given the situation in the country, this year’s photo exhibition was held in a completely new environment and it was very important for us to see friends who were ready to provide truly effective support for our work. I am glad that our common good cause allowed us to find each other. Photo Callsign Sokil was really what our time was calling for, as people liked to choose, among many faces, one that would become a symbol of courage, hope, and a new generation, which is now going through one of the most difficult trials in our history.”

Yurkova decided to donate the work she had purchased to the school Stepanenko attended. “I never find it hard to part with my money for a good cause, especially when the initiative in question is supported by a reliable partner,” the philanthropist told us. “Anyone who is presently serving at the front is a hero. These people should receive special attention from us and all possible assistance. ‘The word, you are my only weapon,’ Lesia Ukrainka said, but we have not learned yet to use this weapon enough in our fight. Den is a publication that should be emulated, but to reach out to all Ukrainians and transfer to them the impetus of the struggle for independence, I mean independence of Ukraine and of every person, it needs a circulation of at least two million copies! We have no way but to fight now. To win, each of us should strive to become a better, more honest and knowledgeable person. In addition, we, the Ukrainians, have to finally learn to respect ourselves.”