Perous Secret Diary - Keep Out

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KYIV

KYIV

after delicious home cooked breakfast, drove back into Kyiv central

photographed the World Extreme Medicine guys in various meetings with Ukrainian MP's, ministers, senior doctors and military medial planners discussing what they do, how they can help and what's in the 'trauma boxes' WEM assemble for delivery to the front line soldiers and medics

(almost everything you might need if youre shot and/or blown up on a battlefield / in your house, in your village or town)

although i'm just there to document the moments, its inspiring and interesting to meet these people and hear what's going on, first hand.

i was outraged about the Russian invasion before i knew any Ukrainian people or had been to ukraine.

i feel so much more empathy for them now

but it's still hard to imagine the horror of this being your daily reality: i am just a visitor: i can go home: i have a home to go to

all the Ukrainians we meet are very grateful for the support they are receiving

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there are billboards and signs everywhere

here's mark and luca from WEM with a sign that reads 'THIS IS OUR LAND. WE WILL NOT GIVE IT UP!'

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this sign reads 'ukraine is the leader of the free world. proud of you'

i really feel like Ukraine IS fighting for the free world and all Europeans: not just themselves

i feel deeply that they need all the support we can give them

Russia is trying to eradicate Ukraine as a country: they are stealing cultural and heritage items from galleries and museums: trying to rewrite history to their own (fucked up and bullshit) narrative

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RUSSIAN SHIP...

love that they have these signs above the roads like here we might have 'obstacle in road'

they have 'RUSSIAN SHIP, GO FUCK YOURSELF'

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here's me and a Ukrainian special forces soldier who was just back in Kyiv momentarily, and met WEM to discuss what they need on the front-line (medically) and to take back some trauma boxes.

we decided to stay in Kyiv central overnight as it would save on driving to the countryside and back next day

the trendy hotel that we were staying in was full of young NGO's and news reporters.

some asking more questions than was polite

after a slight incident at bar we were eating dinner in, with an upset soldier who made some demonstration of his feelings, made it back to hotel JUST in time for curfew

apart from the soldiers, road-blocks and empty city, it is possible to not really feel like you're in a war zone, in a country at war here, at this moment

weirdly.

Perous Secret Diary - Keep Out: May 02, 2022