Concrete Sunflowers

Tag: children

  • A supply hub tour

    R: Let’s take this one, here’s its number. See? It’s all there. And this one was shot down literally about a year ago. I: Is it made of cardboard or what? R: Yeah, sorry, as we say, it’s made of shit and sticks, no other way to put it. That’s just how it is. But…

  • Ivanna on folk heroes

    Note: This interview took place via a call with very bad signal. Vic: Can you please tell me your name? Ivanna: Uh, I am Ivanna. Vic: Cool. And, um… Can you think of any examples of, um, contemp… of, modern heroes that have emerged since the start of the full-scale invasion? Ivanna: Um, yes. Um……

  • Ira from Kyiv: Part 2

    Part 1: Ira from Kyiv: Part 1 Part 2: Ira from Kyiv: Part 2 Vic: So back in 2022, Ghost of Kyiv. As a person from Kyiv, did you follow the news about him at all? Ira: Yes, of course. We all were, we all were. We were so proud. We discussed it, we tried…

  • Human shields in Izium

    Iryna: <start cut off> were kept as captured and the parents didn’t have access to their kids, because Russians kept the kids as a like shield against Ukrainian drones and missiles. Because they knew that Ukrainians wouldn’t target them. I don’t have the picture right now because I changed my phones, but there was a…

  • Ana on stamps

    Part 1: Ana on wartime culturePart 2: Ana on superstitionsPart 3: Ana on stamps Ana: Okay, so when we enter the university in Ukraine, like after the school, we should pass the exams. And it’s usually history, math, literature, and English, I’m not sure. So there was a question in 2024 during the exam, and…

  • Valeria on folk heroes: part 1

    Series: Valeria’s story Valeria on folk heroes: part 1 Valeria on folk heroes: part 2 Vic: Did you ever see any Ghost of Kyiv mentions on VK? Valeria: No, I don’t think so. I think I just exited it soon enough, you know, just in the first day of war, I was like, “No, I’m…

  • Maksym on the unique position of military volunteers

    I: What meaning do flags have at the frontline? What do soldiers say if they have a flag? How do they feel if they don’t have one? Does it carry a specific meaning, or are there traditions tied to them? Maksym: I’m not sure I follow the question. I: I put a lot into that…

  • Chrystyna on folk heroes

    This interview took place whilst volunteering in a kitchen in Kyiv.  Part one: Chrystyna’s story Vic: Back when like Pes Patron was popular was that more for kids or? Chrystyna: Oh, no… Did you… Do you have an account on Twitter? Vic: I’ve got a Twitter, yeah. Chrystyna: So there was a, like, flash bulb,…

  • Chrystyna’s story

    This interview took place whilst volunteering in a kitchen in Kyiv.  Chrystyna [name changed] was born in the USSR in territory which is now Russia.  Her family moved to Ukraine when she was a child, and she is solely a Ukrainian citizen. TW: This story contains references to suicide. Part two: Chrystyna on folk heroes…

  • Olha and her café under occupation

    H: Henry, I: Iryna, O: Olha H: Does she remember my fish? [Iryna and the fish] I: [in Ukrainian to Respondent] Do you remember that fish we brought you? It was a huge fish. That was back in ’22. O: Honestly, I don’t remember that any more. So many people have passed through, so many…

  • Jay’s Easter Egg hunt

    Jay: We were doing supply runs out to Mykolaiv, and Mykolaiv was under artillery bombardment. We had these Lindt eggs. So we would distribute some just to people, and then if there were like a whole gaggle of kids, we would basically tell them they have to cover their eyes for five minutes, and we’d…

  • Yulia’s Father

    Note: This interview was conducted in Ukrainian via my translator, Ivan. To simplify things I have removed my questions and Ivan’s translations of Yulia’s responses. Українською мовою: Батько Юлії Vic:  So first could you tell me a little bit about yourself, so where do you live in Ukraine, how old are you roughly? Yulia: Okay.…