Reference :
V-P-UA-E-00541
Date :
16/07/2016
Caption :
Ilovaisk. The ICRC helps families find relatives. Liudmila sits in the house she used to share with her youngest son Misha, one of her nine children, who disappeared during the summer of 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. [...]
Liudmila has five sons, four daughters, and fifteen grandchildren. Misha is her youngest son, who was still living with her and her husband when he disappeared. "Misha is so good, so kind and loving. He was supporting my husband and me. Out of his salary he used to buy candies for the grandchildren, take them to see dolphins and visit the circus. He even once spent an entire month's salary to buy me a dress and a ring," confides Liudmila.
Misha's sister, Dasha, who also lives with their parents, cannot get over her brother's disappearance. "Misha was my dearest brother, he was always there for me. He taught me to drive and to ride a bike. He was always taking me out, introducing me to his friends. He was so good that people often took advantage of him. Girls especially," says Dasha.
"He was working as a security guard and dreamed of becoming a pilot. He tried to get into the flying academy, but unfortunately was not accepted," says Dasha. She shows photos of a young man in his early twenties: fair hair, big eyes, and a beautiful smile. Liudmila smiles back at his photos.
The family has no information about Misha's whereabouts. They have the right to know.
The photograph is part of the ICRC exhibition "Uncertainty".
Original material :
digital
Resolution :
5760x3840
Orientation :
landscape
Colour/B&W :
colour
