REPORTING. In Ukraine, these intellectuals and artists involved in the conflict: “Art will come after”

Nearly 200 people, relatives, family, supporters, gathered Wednesday, July 5 in Saint Michael’s Cathedral in Kiev, for the funeral of the Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina, 37, killed in a Russian strike on the city of Kramatorsk , Tuesday, June 27. The Russian missile killed 13 and injured dozens. This Ukrainian writer documented Russian war crimes, she was “very persevering, tireless, it is a very great loss for Ukraine“welcomed Roman Avramenko, the executive director of the NGO Truth Hounds, for which Victoria Amelina collaborated.

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Like her, many Ukrainian artists and intellectuals, who came to pay their last respects to the writer, are also involved in this conflict, in one way or another. On leaving the church, Yurko Vovkohon stands aside, leaning on his crutch, his forearm deformed by a war wound. He presents himself, in that order, as a soldier and a writer. “I joined the front lines from the first day of the invasion, because if we don’t stop this enemy now, our culture will be destroyed again, like 100 years ago, says the Ukrainian. Until we get out of this cycle, we will still have several humiliated generations and thousands of broken destinies.“

Some engage and continue their artistic activities

To defend the Ukrainian identity, the artist Khalil Khalilov did not take up arms, but he became a logistician: he goes to look for second-hand cars in Germany, which he loads with generators. At the end of June, he took advantage of his trip to perform an artistic performance in Poland. He believes that leading the two head on is obvious, he does not even understand that we are wondering. “That’s a bit of a weird question, sweep Khalil Khalilov, because it’s my obligation, my duty to my country, and it’s the minimum I can do.“

Volodymyr Yermolenko, a committed philosopher, agrees that it was inconceivable for him not to help his country, one way or another.”We are all citizens, as if we felt that our community, in our country called Ukraine, is an organic, living body, says, in French, the Ukrainian intellectual. We act like Victoria Amelina did.“

For now, many Ukrainian artists and intellectuals involved in the conflict have had to put their artistic activities on hold, or at least slow down. At the exit of the cemetery where the writer Victoria Amelina was buried, Guenek Ravski, 57, displays his nickname on his trellis: “the painter”. The artist explains that he finds it very difficult to project himself into the post-war period.

“To be honest, I’m completely drained. The time will come when I’ll start painting and creating again, but now I’m not ready. My life before the war is like another life. Today , I give everything to remain useful despite my age and my physical condition. The priority is to end the war, art will come later”.

Guenek Ravski, painter

at franceinfo