A book based on the personal stories of women who survived occupation, captivity, sexual violence and other war crimes committed by Russia against Ukraine was presented in Ternopil.

‘These are stories written by the women themselves — not therapists or journalists, but by those who have personally lived through this traumatic experience. The book is hard, it is not easy to read, but at the same time, there are rays of light in each testimony — moments that helped them survive,’ emphasised one of the authors, Maryna Suprun.

She recounted how she was held captive by the Russians during the occupation of the village of Yahidne in the Chernihiv Obalst:

‘Captivity is when there is no water, and we had to get it from the sewers. It’s when you have half a square metre of space and a ‘window’ cut in cardboard for air. It’s when the occupiers didn’t allow even to bury our dead... I was sure that we wouldn't get out of there alive.’

At the same time, the girl emphasised:

‘The most valuable thing is when your loved ones are alive and well. After what I went through, I realised that every conversation with my mother or sister is the greatest gift.’

Halyna Tyshchenko, a representative of SEMA Ukraine, also shared her story.

‘Women who have been raped and tortured join our organisation. We carry these stories forward so that the world can see and understand: war is a horror.’

She admitted how difficult it was not just talk about her experience, but also to write about it:

‘Telling someone about it is one thing, but putting it on paper is quite another. But I write in the name of those who will never be able to do so.’

The speech by the mother of Stepan Chubenko, a schoolboy from Kramatorsk who was tortured and killed by pro-Russian militants in 2014, was particularly touching.

She recalled what her son was like:

‘Stepan was an ordinary boy, cheerful, sincere, passionate about football, and wrote poetry. He organised a march in Kramatorsk in support of Euromaidan and was not afraid to carry the Ukrainian flag even when it was dangerous to do so.’

When Donbas was occupied, the teenager could not stay on the sidelines, and he was captured for this by pro-Russian servicemen.

‘He was only 16 when he was tortured and forced to renounce Ukraine. He didn’t break. And he was killed for that.’

Stepan’s mother admitted that it was important for her to talk about her son so that his memory would live on and so that no one would forget the price Ukrainians pay to defend their freedom.

The presentation participants repeatedly emphasised that the book is not only a testimony to the tragedy, but also a guide for those living through trauma. It includes a section with practical advice from a psychologist, as well as authors’ quotes about what helped them cope.

‘This book is a document. Years from now, it will become part of our history, a history written by living witnesses of the war.’

The book is distributed free of charge and can be found in libraries or downloaded in electronic format from the website of the Eastern Ukrainian Center for Civic Initiative.

The second edition of  ‘Living Against All Odds: Women’s Stories of War, 2014 and 2022’ and its further distribution were made possible by the ‘Strengthening Civil Society for the Transformation of the Culture of Memory – Non-Violent Efforts to Counter Russia’s War Against Ukraine’ Project implemented by the Eastern Ukrainian Center for Civic Initiatives with the support of Kurve Wustrow – Centre for Training and Interaction in Non-Violent Action as part of the Civil Peace Service (CPS) project.