©julien_cresp — They are teachers in the morning and support the war effort in the afternoon. In the sub-floors of a school in Ivano-Frankivsk, sheltered from possible bombardments, these women knead, roll, cut, garnish, joke, sing, laugh...

They are teachers in the morning and support the war effort in the afternoon. In the sub-floors of a school in Ivano-Frankivsk, sheltered from possible bombardments, these women knead, roll, cut, garnish, joke, sing, laugh...

So cooking reminds us how universal certain languages are, how it is easy to deconstruct these languages by instilling fear and promoting ignorance, how easy it is to make enemies brother peoples united by the same cultures.

And how cooking and feeding is a universal act of love.

The fantasy of Julia, plastic arts teacher, will not be too much to spice up and joy in these typical Ukrainians raviolis...but also Russians.

The expertise of Olia, a mathematics teacher wearing chief's hat and dignity, is needed to count the thousands of Varenikis produced every day for the benefit of soldiers or displaced persons massively arrived in the city.

Ruslan Martsinkiv, Mayor of Ivano-Frankivsk, present on all fronts, ensures that the displaced people who have arrived in large numbers in his city are welcomed and integrated. As well as on his gun. The day before this picture, the humanitarian convoy he was accompanying to Tchernihiv was attacked by the russians.

Sergii, former Director of the Alliance Française of Lugansk, president of the Paris/Ivano-Frankivsk association, and the best fixer ever

Natalia, teacher in a school for maladjusted children, member of Plasta, the Ukrainian scouts

Anton created the association VDOMA (the house), that shelter many men, women, and family in the center of Ivano-Frankivsk

Andrii, dedicated founder of the Harmony Shelter association, which shelters nearly 40 displaced people, mainly women and children. Andrii spent 8 years in the USA and came back to his native country to take part in its reconstruction

Tania, French teacher, convinced banderista and outstanding translator. Tania lives with her old father in Ivano-Frankivsk, her daughter fled to Poland on the first days of the war.

Ira, drawing teacher and fashion illustrator, volunteer with the “Vagabundo” association, which welcomes displaced children around playful and artistic activities.

Live free at the risk of dying. Katia, just 19 years old, proudly assumes this choice. When I ask him if the idea of fighting at the front frightens him, his answer is immediate: no. No fear indeed in his eyes.

A cashier in Ivano-Frankivsk before the war, Katia got involved in the days that followed this morning of February 24, 2022 when war crashed into the lives of 44 million Ukrainians.

With many other women like her, she was trained in the handling of weapons and in combat, nourished by the ideal of resistance promoted by this Ukrainian hero of the anti-Soviet resistance that was Stephan Bandera.

Katia, 38 years old and mother of two children, voluntarily joined the Territorial Defense Brigades on February 24, 2022, the first day of the war. Her husband is fighting the Russians in the Donbass, near Donetsk.

Very involved in the Plast movement, the Ukrainian scouts, Katya is trained in combat and the handling of weapons. If asked, she would go to the front without hesitation.

Photographing the defense elements set up in Ukrainian cities being prohibited, I made this portrait in 30 seconds. A moment later, a soldier interrupts us and threatens to have my photos erased.

But for these thirty seconds, Katia offers me her pride, her determination and her grace.
And through it, those of an entire people.

Mikhail, co-founder of the association Your Blood Saves, coordinator of the collection and distribution of Humanitarian aid in Invano-Frankivsk

Ludmila, President of the Ivano-Frankivsk Gymnastics Club, coordinator with Arkadiy Cantorjy of the delivery of food aid from France.

Brave people of Ukraine

In the days that followed this Thursday, February 24, 2022, which marked the history of Ukraine but also that of Europe as a whole, Ukrainians mobilized massively to support the war effort.

This mobilization has taken various forms, and if we speak more often of the soldiers who have taken the path to the front, many of them have been working for almost two months in the reception of displaced persons, the protection of children victims of war, the welfare of soldiers, the collection and distribution of humanitarian aid and many other tasks that highlight the tremendous resilience shown by this people.

These photoreports are a tribute to them

*****

Dans les jours qui ont suivi ce jeudi 24 février 2022, qui ont marqué l'histoire de l'Ukraine mais aussi celle de l'Europe toute entière, les Ukrainiens se sont massivement mobilisés pour soutenir l'effort de guerre.

Cette mobilisation a pris diverses formes, et si l'on parle plus souvent des engagé(e)s volontaires dans les Brigades de Défense Territoriales qui ont pris le chemin du front, nombre d'entre eux œuvrent depuis près de deux mois dans l'accueil des déplacés, la protection des enfants victimes de la guerre, le bien-être des soldats, la collecte et la distribution de l'aide humanitaire et de nombreuses autres tâches qui mettent en évidence la formidable résilience dont fait preuve ce peuple.

Ces photo-reportages leur rendaient hommage