On the anniversary of the full-scale invasion, cultural activities are being held in the cities of Bavaria to support Ukrainians in their struggle against the racists.
“Evening Kyiv” attended events and talked with German artists. The photo exhibition of the world-famous journalist and photographer Till Mayer “Ukraine — life during the war” opened in his hometown of Bamberg. Visitors view photos from twelve Ukrainian cities, including Bakhmut, Kharkiv, Odesa, Dnipro, Kyiv and Buchi. The photos were taken in 2022-23.
This is already his second author’s photo exhibition about the war in Ukraine.
“I admire the spirit of freedom that many Ukrainians possess. Your army gave me many opportunities, including visiting the Armed Forces with your camera on the front lines. There I met brave men and women who know exactly what they are fighting for. This cannot fail to inspire respect,” Till explained his position.
Till started covering the war in Ukraine in 2016. It was then that his friends asked him to show military operations in Donbas in Europe: “I had to film about 30 military conflicts and wars.”
“Each war or conflict is different — both in terms of participants, methods of conduct, and ideology. But there is also something in common – death, destroyed lives, broken homes, refugees. However, there is something that distinguishes Russia’s war against Ukraine — I have never reported on a war where it is so clear who is the aggressor and who is defending,” says Mayer.
Over the next five years, the photographer made more than a dozen trips to Donbas. The photos were presented in the author’s exhibition “Donbas: War in Europe”.
In February 2022, the photographer lived in the small village of Pisky, Donetsk region. On the eve of the full-scale invasion on February 23, Till should be in Afghanistan.
Because the journalist had a project there: “My customer has already made a visa. There is a complicated procedure to get a visa to Afghanistan. On February 24, when the great invasion began, I had already completed my task in this country. After that, I went back to Ukraine straight from Afghanistan.”
When visiting each city of Ukraine, Till Mayer makes two reports.
One report about civilians who help the military in the rear, the second – a report on the front:
“I have the necessary accreditation and my Ukrainian friend Oles is helping me. I had to live both in a prestigious hotel and in a bunker, in a destroyed building. I call these things “All inclusive”.
In January, he was in Bakhmut, on the front line. It was hell. It was most bitter for me to see people, civilians, who were faced with unbearable situations. I think that I have a privilege in front of them – because I can not worry about my family, I do not worry that a rocket will hit my house. That’s why I decided for myself that I have no reason to talk about my own fears,” says Till.
Victoria Babich-Vepreva, Boris KORPUSENKO“Evening Kyiv”
