“This is Oleh!”
Sergiy Maidukov, one of Ukraine’s best-known illustrators, is stuck in the Ukrainian capital, where he draws what he sees and experiences.
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine forced millions of people to flee their homes. However, many decided to stay, like Kyiv-based artist Sergiy Maidukov. Since 2015 until Russia´s full-scale war in Ukraine, Sergiy Maidukov had been curating regular illustration workshops. They were dedicated to various Ukrainian cities – Odesa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv. Today, Sergiy Maidukov works on war documental illustrations for his forthcoming book. Volunteering and with an aim to do documental illustrations on site he visited Irpin and Bucha in the first days after their liberation, Kharkiv and oblast during the siege in summer 2022, Bakhmut (including the frontline) in late September, Izium and other cities and places. Maidukov’s illustrations were exhibited in Kyiv, Berlin, Hong Kong and Paris.
This is Oleh, usually a programmer working in IT. He didn’t take any special military courses, but now he’s standing guard near the main Territorial Defense Forces checkpoint: He spends three hours on duty, then three hours resting.
The difference in the perception of war through the news feed and live is colossal. As a Ukrainian, I wanted to see this tragedy, the exhumation of the bodies of Ukrainians tortured by the Russians, with my own eyes. I will tell my daughter about the war later; in particular, I want to talk about what I personally witnessed. I I could stand to watch for an hour and a half. It’s tough.
War with Russia, line of defense in the East
On 16 March, my friend and I were returning from Lviv to Kyiv, we saw a flash behind the forest and immediately both of us felt a shock wave through our bodies in our chests.
I spent 23 and 24 November roughly like this.
Recently liberated Bohorodychne village. AFU soldiers just came in (they were puffed) and decided what should be in a fire sector of a new position. Under the bridge, there are several items of russian destroyed technics. Under the feet, there are dry russian army food, curled metal, and stinky russian military clothes.
It was windy at Zhilyanska street. The realization that Vika, who you all probably read about, died a hundred meters away, made the wind unbearably cold.
The center of Kyiv. The military and civil defense volunteers have set up metal antitank crosses like these to slow down Russian invaders if they make it into the city.
Kharkiv, Saltivka, June. I had just gotten up to paint, and the police came by. They looked at the rest of my work on the iPad, wished me a good day, and left. I didn’t like Kharkiv before, but I do now.
This texts are protected by copyright: © Sergiy Maidukov. Copyright information on pictures, graphics and videos are noted directly at the illustrations or on top of the article.