Reference :
V-P-UA-E-00521
Date :
11/07/2016
Caption :
Kiev, ICRC office. The ICRC helps families find relatives. Tatiana, a woman whose brother is missing since fall 2014.
Confidentiality level :
public
Publication restrictions :
publication without restrictions
Description :
ICRC website article, 05.10.2016: "Ukraine crisis: Uncertainty on both sides of the contact line. Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and grandparents of the missing on both sides of the conflict in Ukraine cope as best they can with an impossible, wholly intolerable situation.
Waiting to discover what has happened to their relatives means living in limbo, denied the chance to mourn or a reason to stop hoping against hope. This uncertainty has a severe emotional, social and economic impact on the loved ones of the missing. These are their stories.
Tatiana has two brothers. Pasha is the youngest. When Tatiana was a child, as the elder sister, she often took care of the boys. Even as adults they were very close. Tatiana says that Pasha resembles her closely – they are almost like twins.
"Pasha was a very kind person. His colleagues respected him. He was even invited to Kiev and awarded a prize for the best manager at his job. He loved his two little boys so much. He did his best for them and doted on them. Of course, the older son understands the situation, but the little one is constantly crying..."
On top of the disappearance of her brother, Tatiana's husband tragically struck a mine with his car and died.
"This conflict has ruined my whole life."
Tatiana's 80-years-old parents, as well as Pasha's wife and his children all need support. She has been looking for her brother for two years, but the search has brought no results so far. "He has just vanished. I have already checked all the possible morgues and prisons – and nothing... Sometimes I get overwhelmed, and it seems that I am at breaking point and feel absolutely done in. But then I realize – who else will do it if not me? I have not closed the chapter on him yet, so I will keep on searching for him. He will not just appear out of the blue.
Tatiana has no information about Pasha's whereabouts. She has the right to know. [...]"
The photograph is part of the ICRC exhibition "Uncertainty".
Original material :
digital
Resolution :
5760x3840
Orientation :
landscape
Colour/B&W :
colour
