Why do they kill our people: book presentation about the Russian war crimes in Ukraine

Internews Ukraine presented a book in English with testimonies about the Russian war crimes in Ukraine — "Why do they kill our people? Russia's war against Ukraine as told by Ukrainians".

Inspiring stories of Ukrainians who are unbreakable. Drawings that touch the readers' souls as much as the words. The book consists of 7 thematic parts: defence of the homeland, memories about occupation, torture in captivity, giving birth to children under shelling, loss of loved ones, destroyed homes, and evacuation.

The book has 50 stories. Why not more? Olga Tatokhina, the editor of the book, answered: "The book cannot be endless for an appropriate perception of what has been written. Moreover, it can be mentally hard for the reader even after reading several stories. I am telling you this as a person who has worked through these stories and let each one pass through me. Honestly, I almost always cried while writing and editing these stories. I would hold back tears during interviews with some of the heroes of the stories, and then I would cry when we ended the conversation".

The book was also presented by Alona Gryshko, project leader and senior analyst at Internews Ukraine, Volodymyr Yermolenko, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and Denys Volokha, media director of the Kharkiv Human Rights Group (KHPG). KHPG experts provided the stories included in the book.

Three subjects whose stories are described in the book also spoke at the event.

"During two years at war, my comrades and I have seen and felt many things. We have seen terrible injuries and the deaths of our comrades. We have seen happiness and joy when we accomplish our missions. We have seen war as it really is, not like in the movies," said Ihor, a soldier with the "Magura" 47th separate mechanised brigade.

Marichka, who survived the Russian occupation with her little son, also shared her memories: "At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, I left with my three-year-old son, two-year-old nephew, six-year-old brother, and two younger sisters for my parents' house near Kyiv on the Zhytomyr highway, and we fell under Russian occupation. It was only under the constant explosions of Russian bombs that I finally realized that Russia had brought war to my home. It was only after the Russians started torturing, killing, and raping thousands of Ukrainians that I decided for the first time in my life that not everything can be understood and justified."

Nadiya, the widow of a Ukrainian soldier, told their story: "I have lived through the first year after the loss, with six more years left of the seven years we were together. My husband was confident, responsible, kind, and caring. He was perfect for me, and I used to tell him that all the time. Fortunately, we have a son, a copy of my beloved. It has been very difficult for us since his loss. It's not going to get any easier. It's just that now I'm reaching the stage where it feels like my past life didn't exist at all. It's impossible for my happiness to be real."

The book "Why do they kill our people?" will be available online at the end of February 2024.