Concrete Sunflowers

Tag: soldier

  • Grandfather’s war

    [This post is part of the larger one A supply hub tour] R: I have a very interesting story, I can tell it [takes out a Soviet military ID]. Here, honey, open it and take a look. Read it carefully, then you’ll see it’s not as simple as it seems. Read the year. I: 1898.…

  • Ana on superstitions

    Part 1: Ana on wartime culturePart 2: Ana on superstitionsPart 3: Ana on stamps Ana: I remember you asked about the superstitions, so I tried to think about some of them, but actually I don’t know. Vic: It feels like Ukrainian people have a lot of the same superstitions as British people, like black cats…

  • 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…

  • 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 premonitions

    Part 1: Ostap on his experiences with Kraken Ostap: Anything could happen. There just weren’t that many people around—many had left. And, generally, a lot of people were allowed to pass, let go. Though some were simply shot in their cars right in the middle of the road. Everyone was scared, not knowing what to…

  • 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 luck and religion during basic training

    Part 1: Eric on basic training Vic: Do you have anything you’re going to take for good luck? Eric: Actually, yes. I’ve this small figurine of a cat that, I’ve had it for years, just kind of in my bag as a, I don’t know, good luck thing. <laughs> Vic: Is it something from home?…

  • 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’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…

  • 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:…

  • Bogdan on folk heroes and idiot soldiers

    Part 1: Bogdan on his time in captivity: Part 1 Part 2: Bogdan on his time in captivity: Part 2 Part 3: A smoke break with Bogdan Part 4: Bogdan on the Civilian Prisoners of War organisation V: When I talk to people from Lviv and Kyiv, they’re quite far from the front. Especially in Lviv, where you…

  • Bogdan on his time in captivity: Part 1

    Trigger warning: This post contains descriptions of torture, including sexual violence. Oral interpretation provided during the interview has been omitted from the transcript for brevity, except where the interpreter provides additional cultural context or clarification. I: Vitaliy was telling me, I think… It [the city] was occupied in March, right? Or something like that? B:…

  • Yulia on Vitalik

    Previous: Yulia on a ghostly warning Українською мовою: Юлія розповідає про Віталіка Ivan: And what’s the second story? Yulia: My boyfriend — my ex-boyfriend — was supposed to go on a mission. We were constantly in touch, because I was very worried. At some point, he was called away. He left me with a fellow…

  • Yulia on a ghostly warning

    Previous: Yulia on staying in touch Українською мовою: Юлія розповідає про привида з попередженням Yulia: I still have two stories. Well, one is more like a legend, and the other is something that happened with my second ex-boyfriend. After that, it’s hard not to believe in mysticism. Ivan: Okay, go ahead. Ivan: So, Yulia has two…

  • Yulia on staying in touch

    Previous: Yulia’s Father Українською мовою: Юлія розповідає про те, як підтримувати зв’язок Ivan: Are there any other examples? Yulia: Our soldiers have a tradition during rotation — meaning a change of soldiers from the front line. In the last settlement where there is a café, before going on a combat mission, they stop, slowly drink…

  • 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.…