Concrete Sunflowers

Tag: drone

  • 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……

  • Ana on wartime culture

    Part 1: Ana on wartime culturePart 2: Ana on superstitionsPart 3: Ana on stamps Ana: Well, again, before, like when it started in 2022, I guess we get more stories like the Ghost of Kyiv or Chornobaivka, if you heard about that. Like it was a village in Kherson which was- the Russian troops, they…

  • Mary on folk heroes

    Vic:  So can you tell me about Pes Patron? Mary: I’ve always loved Pes Patron. When I first came to Lviv in December of 22, there were Pes Patron posters everywhere, and I just thought it was amazing. I have young refugee friends in Berlin. I purchase Pest Patron books for them. I purchased Pes…

  • Amy on what was in that jar

    Note: This quick interview took place after more than a few drinks during a group dinner. Vic: So what was in the jar that the old lady threw at the drone? Amy: Pickled tomatoes. Vic: Where did you hear that it was tomatoes? Amy: In an interview she did. Vic: You think there was actually…

  • Max on his experiences and the stories he’s heard

    Trigger warning: This story contains mentions of sexual violence Max: So, my name is Max, I’m 19 years old, I was born here at Lviv oblast, in small town named Zhydachiv, but later I moved to another region named Rivne oblast and almost for 12 years I lived here before moving. Vic: Thank you. So,…

  • Kraken soldiers on beliefs and intuition

    Vic: How familiar are you with the Ghost of Kyiv? Has the story come to Kharkiv a lot? Roman: Should I answer in Ukrainian? Vic: Whatever you prefer. Roman: Personally, I don’t know the Ghost of Kyiv. Of course, I heard about him at the start of the war, even before I arrived in Ukraine.…

  • 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…

  • Ostap on his experiences with Kraken

    Part 2: Ostap on premonitions I: Just so you know, I’m the interpreter. I can translate if it’s easier for you to speak. If you want to add anything in Ukrainian later, I’ll translate it. [translates into English] Ostap: I’ll try in English first, and we’ll see how it goes. I: If you need help,…

  • 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…

  • Eric on basic training

    Part 2: Eric on luck and religion during basic training Eric: It is, you know <laughs> fucking exhausted. Vic: Has the car situation been sorted? Eric: Fuck no. That fucking idiot is like, drunk in Ivano-Frankivsk being a fucking menace to society. I’m like, “hey, asshole, come back with my car please”. Vic: <laughs> So…

  • 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,…

  • Viktor the retired soldier

    V — Viktor | I — Interpreter V: At that moment, there was nothing left of the city… if you take a five-story building, just a corner of the house — that’s all that remained. Nothing else was left. I: That was in ’22, probably? Somewhere in the autumn. V: Yes, it was November. I:…

  • Brian from New Hampshire

    Brian: When I moved to Kharkiv full time, April 2024, I had brought my Springer Spaniel Annie, with me. We nicknamed her Humanitariannie, and they used to have these little billboards by the sidewalk with Patron photos warning kids about unexploded ordnance and that type of thing. So I got some great photos of my…

  • Ivan on folk heroes

    Українською мовою: Іван розповідав про народних героїв Vic: Okay, so first up, can you just give me like a brief “who are you”? Your name, where you live in Ukraine? Ivan: Okay, so I’m [Redacted] Ivan, Ivan [Redacted] in English, we say differently, because in Ukrainian, usually surname goes first. In English, usually first name…