Mariupol: Stories of the Unconquered

Mariupol... The city where the heart of the country beats. Our common pain. The enemy almost leveled Mariupol to the ground, turning it into a cemetery with thousands of dead residents. Drama theatre, maternity hospital, Azovstal - places whose terrible fate stirred up the whole world. However, despite the fire and death, Mariupol did not give up and became a symbol of the struggle and invincibility of Ukrainians. 

In the Stories of the Unconquered, the experienced horrors sounds in the voices of Mariupol residents, are reflected in their eyes, find a place in the lines of their diaries. The residents of Mariupol entrusted their stories to the Museum of Civilian Voices in order to share the pain and never forget the experienced pane for the sake of a peaceful and better future for Ukraine.

 

Voices of the murdered. The war diary of Kateryna Savenko from Mariupol
24.02.2024
Kateryna Savenko
Voices of the murdered. The war diary of Kateryna Savenko from Mariupol
“Wounded people at Azovstal are rotting alive”
06.05.2022
Serhiy Olegovich Kuzmenko
“Wounded people at Azovstal are rotting alive”
 Photojournalist Yevhen Maloletka: “We have never seen such a massive use of artillery anywhere as in Mariupol”
25.05.2022
Evgeny Maloletka
Photojournalist Yevhen Maloletka: “We have never seen such a massive use of artillery anywhere as in Mariupol”
War diary: “There is no hope for the corridor from Mariupol and our task is to survive in this hell”
18.04.2022
Alina Chubarova
War diary: “There is no hope for the corridor from Mariupol and our task is to survive in this hell”
“Half-alive people were seen under the rubble of the Drama Theatre. We survived by miracle”
22.05.2022
Elizabeth
“Half-alive people were seen under the rubble of the Drama Theatre. We survived by miracle”
I asked God for an easy death….
02.05.2022
Mariya Vdovychenko
"I asked God for an easy death…."
All the residents of our 10-storey building recited one and the same prayer at the same time. May be that is why we survived in that hell
17.05.2022
Nikolay Osychenko
"All the residents of our 10-storey building recited one and the same prayer at the same time. May be that is why we survived in that hell"
Kids in the Azovstal bomb shelter called me Aunt Soup
01.06.2022
Natalia Vladimirovna Babeush
"Kids in the Azovstal bomb shelter called me Aunt Soup"
For two months, we lived in hell itself, at Azovstal plant
01.06.2022
Anna Konstantinovna Antropova
"For two months, we lived in hell itself, at Azovstal plant"
“Recording of a video diary helped me to hold it out in Mariupol”
11.04.2022
Alena Zagreba
“Recording of a video diary helped me to hold it out in Mariupol”
 We were shocked when we saw through the wound how the girl’s heart was beating
01.06.2022
Sergey Chornobryvets
"We were shocked when we saw through the wound how the girl’s heart was beating"
 We found some white paint, a paint roller, and “Children” signs appeared on both sides of the Drama Theatre
05.06.2022
Eugene Zabogonskaya
"We found some white paint, a paint roller, and “Children” signs appeared on both sides of the Drama Theatre"
I was crying, “Serhiy!” not realizing that I was crying into the open sky instead of our flat!
21.04.2022
Nadezhda Shkolnaya-Voloshinova
"I was crying, “Serhiy!” not realizing that I was crying into the open sky instead of our flat!"
We learned some lessons previously and made some stocks of water and food at Azovstal in advance
03.05.2022
Sergei Kalinichenko
"We learned some lessons previously and made some stocks of water and food at Azovstal in advance"
 War diary: “My city has been tormented. It has turned into Stalingrad. It is gone”
05.04.2022
Yana Ivanova
War diary: “My city has been tormented. It has turned into Stalingrad. It is gone”
In Mariupol, a wounded woman asked to give her some poison. There was no one to take her to the hospital
28.03.2022
Kristina Dzholos
"In Mariupol, a wounded woman asked to give her some poison. There was no one to take her to the hospital"
“In the morning, they came to us and said: get out of here. Otherwise, there will be a mass grave here”
02.05.2022
Anna Rastyagaeva
“In the morning, they came to us and said: get out of here. Otherwise, there will be a mass grave here”
“For the first time I told people that their relatives were gone”
10.04.2022
Alevtina Shvetsova
“For the first time I told people that their relatives were gone”
Everyone knew that there were children in the drama theatre. It’s a miracle that we managed to remain alive there
13.04.2022
Victoria Dubovitskaya
"Everyone knew that there were children in the drama theatre. It’s a miracle that we managed to remain alive there"
With God’s Help. How to get out of Mariupol…
14.04.2022
Artem Ilyin
"With God’s Help. How to get out of Mariupol…"
“I do not know how we managed to escape from captivity. This is just a miracle”
02.05.2022
Elena Perkova
“I do not know how we managed to escape from captivity. This is just a miracle”
If you leave Azovstal, you will get killed in action
13.05.2022
Oleksandr Shabanov
"If you leave Azovstal, you will get killed in action"
War diary: “No one fully believed that this was all for real. And there came the first mine”
03.05.2022
Evgeniy Pavlyuk
War diary: “No one fully believed that this was all for real. And there came the first mine”
“They say a shell doesnt fall into the same pit twice. It does!”
11.05.2022
Maria Kutnyakova
“They say a shell doesn't fall into the same pit twice. It does!”
The war diary: “I failed to get my own mother out of that hell – this is my biggest pain…
16.04.2022
Irina Gusak
The war diary: “I failed to get my own mother out of that hell – this is my biggest pain…"
Art diary from Mariupol: “I am torn to pieces when I see how my city is razed to the ground
12.04.2022
Anastasia Ponomareva
"Art diary from Mariupol: “I am torn to pieces when I see how my city is razed to the ground"
«We stayed in the Azovstal bomb shelter for a whole month»
18.05.2022
Inna Grigorievna Slitko
«We stayed in the Azovstal bomb shelter for a whole month»
If you have an opportunity to go now, you need to do it now
28.03.2022
Ulyana Tokareva
"If you have an opportunity to go now, you need to do it now"
When I was due to give birth, there was an air strike on the Mariupol maternity hospital
05.04.2022
Mariya Bila
"When I was due to give birth, there was an air strike on the Mariupol maternity hospital"
“They burned down the house. They burned down my daughter”
06.04.2022
Vladimir Pinaev
“They burned down the house. They burned down my daughter”
“He was buried in his kitchen garden”
06.04.2022
Natalia Kharchenko
“He was buried in his kitchen garden”
They managed to get us out in time... My mother burned
06.04.2022
Anna Pisotskaya
"They managed to get us out in time... My mother burned"
First a sniper killed the son and then the father
06.05.2022
Evgeny Sosnovsky
"First a sniper killed the son and then the father"
 There were bags of corpses near the hospital. There was no one to bury them
11.05.2022
Vitaliy Viktorovich Pitetsky
"There were bags of corpses near the hospital. There was no one to bury them"
Vany from Mariupol rescued the cat by covering it with his own body
20.05.2022
Olga Khomenko
"Vany from Mariupol rescued the cat by covering it with his own body"
Мать закапывает в землю своего сына… Что может быть страшнее?
25.05.2022
Albina Kiritseva
"Мать закапывает в землю своего сына… Что может быть страшнее?"
No one could assume that Mariupol would be wiped off the face of the earth
04.06.2022
Dmytro Kuzminsky
"No one could assume that Mariupol would be wiped off the face of the earth"
I was waiting for my death, although I am only 16 years old
07.06.2022
Sofia Makarenko
"I was waiting for my death, although I am only 16 years old"
She died not because of her old age, not in her own bed, but as the victim of the horrible war
13.06.2022
Vanda Obiedkova
"She died not because of her old age, not in her own bed, but as the victim of the horrible war"
Natalia was killed while standing in line to get water
14.06.2022
Natalia Loskutova
"Natalia was killed while standing in line to get water"
Our house was on fire. We were just looking at it while it was burning…
27.06.2022
Igor Leonidovich Pavlyuk
"Our house was on fire. We were just looking at it while it was burning…"
He didn’t leave his native city, Mariupol, regardless of the shelling and the siege
15.06.2022
Andriy Diakonov
"He didn’t leave his native city, Mariupol, regardless of the shelling and the siege"
She should have won stages and lit the world with her smile!
16.06.2022
Katia Diachenko
"She should have won stages and lit the world with her smile!"
It was impossible to save their son
16.06.2022
Kyrylo Yatsko
"It was impossible to save their son "
We came under fire at the checkpoint
17.06.2022
Valentina Krymska
"We came under fire at the checkpoint"
The airstrike on the Drama Theatre was not an accident
20.06.2022
Maria Boyko
"The airstrike on the Drama Theatre was not an accident"
People with burns and severed limbs were brought to us
20.06.2022
Vasil Kasyanov
"People with burns and severed limbs were brought to us"
In Mariupol, one was more likely to die than to get out alive
28.06.2022
Tatiana Zhuk
"In Mariupol, one was more likely to die than to get out alive"
When the plane took off, everyone felt terribly scared...
01.07.2022
Marina Nikolaevna Afanasenko
"When the plane took off, everyone felt terribly scared..."
“There was a sound of the explosion, and we were covered with the rubble when the neighbor came crying that all the children who were on the second floor died”
01.07.2022
Iryna Valeriivna Khazhava
“There was a sound of the explosion, and we were covered with the rubble when the neighbor came crying that all the children who were on the second floor died”
Everything around was damaged and burned. The Drama Theatre did not exist anymore.
08.07.2022
Vera Lebedynska
"Everything around was damaged and burned. The Drama Theatre did not exist anymore."
In the basement, we rescued the wounded, performed operations and even performed limb amputations
22.08.2022
Victoria Oleksandrivna Pashkova
"In the basement, we rescued the wounded, performed operations and even performed limb amputations"
When I write, it becomes much easier for me, I share my pain
16.08.2022
Nadiya Sukhorukova
"When I write, it becomes much easier for me, I share my pain"
“The entire staff of Mariupol University are heroes”
11.08.2022
Mykola Trofymenko
“The entire staff of Mariupol University are heroes”
The occupiers made a human shield in the hospital. They drove people there
06.08.2022
Maxim Povnenky
"The occupiers made a human shield in the hospital. They drove people there"
Liia’s life was abruptly ended simultaneously with the live of her mother
31.07.2022
Liia Kyrylova
"Liia’s life was abruptly ended simultaneously with the live of her mother"
This is a big loss for the whole of Mariupol and Mariupol residents
29.07.2022
Natalia Krasilnikova
"This is a big loss for the whole of Mariupol and Mariupol residents"
“All our memories of a happy life in Mariupol have been erased”
28.07.2022
Evelina Konovka
“All our memories of a happy life in Mariupol have been erased”
Her precious life was taken away by cruel and heartless inhumans
26.07.2022
Maryna Zhukova
"Her precious life was taken away by cruel and heartless inhumans"
Her little seven-year-old son Sashko has lost his mother
26.07.2022
Anastasia Kostomanova
"Her little seven-year-old son Sashko has lost his mother"
Тhe blast wave from the airborne bomb threw him aside
24.07.2022
Anatoliy Kazantzev
"Тhe blast wave from the airborne bomb threw him aside"
His family learned of his death only 12 days after
24.07.2022
Evgen Obedinsky
"His family learned of his death only 12 days after"
This is severe pain
23.07.2022
Lilia Humianova
"This is severe pain"
Tania died under the rubble due to dehydration
23.07.2022
Tetiana Moroz
"Tania died under the rubble due to dehydration"
My son takes off his hat and all his hair is grey. The child is only eight years old
27.07.2022
Tatyana Vovk
"My son takes off his hat and all his hair is grey. The child is only eight years old"
Тhey shot him dead and threw his body away
20.07.2022
Mantas Kvedaravichyus
"Тhey shot him dead and threw his body away"
Yevhen Bal was unable to recover from the torture
20.07.2022
Eugene Bal
"Yevhen Bal was unable to recover from the torture"
European champion Stanislav Oliferchyk: We just burst into tears when we saw each other
19.07.2022
Stanislav Oliferchyk
European champion Stanislav Oliferchyk: "We just burst into tears when we saw each other"
We saw a tank through the window and heard, “Mariupol, surrender!
17.07.2022
Svitlana Puz
"We saw a tank through the window and heard, “Mariupol, surrender!"
Alina died together with her mother
16.07.2022
Alina Peregudova
"Alina died together with her mother "
World champion Oleksandr Komarov: “Planes were flying and dropping their bombs day and night”
16.07.2022
Oleksandr Komarov
World champion Oleksandr Komarov: “Planes were flying and dropping their bombs day and night”
The key to a new life
14.07.2022
Dmytro Plaksin
"The key to a new life"
“People were heard groaning under the rubble”
07.08.2022
Nadia Astanina
“People were heard groaning under the rubble”
If this bomb had hit the radiology [department], it would have been a small Chornobyl
11.07.2022
Dmytro Viktorovich Dmytro
"If this bomb had hit the radiology [department], it would have been a small Chornobyl"
You are taken by DPR soldiers with machine guns; they enter a nine-story building and set up headquarters for interrogations there
05.08.2022
Denis Minin
"You are taken by "DPR" soldiers with machine guns; they enter a nine-story building and set up headquarters for interrogations there"
We ran one step - alive
17.08.2022
Larysa Shurkhovetska
"We ran one step - alive"
Grandfather died, and I have a wound on my back. My sister has the skin on her head slashed. My mum had a piece of flesh on her arm torn off and a hole in her leg
29.06.2022
Elena Vladimirovna Kravtsova
"Grandfather died, and I have a wound on my back. My sister has the skin on her head slashed. My mum had a piece of flesh on her arm torn off and a hole in her leg"
I saw the corpses of people who had been gnawed by dogs
07.08.2022
Irina Kuzhel
"I saw the corpses of people who had been gnawed by dogs"
I heard a bang and didnt understand what happened. I was stunned, then I saw that my leg was covered in blood
04.08.2022
Maxim Vasilenko Sergeevich
"I heard a bang and didn't understand what happened. I was stunned, then I saw that my leg was covered in blood"
We were not afraid of mortars, Grad rockets or tanks. We were afraid when the plane was flying
28.06.2022
Оlexander Chekunov
"We were not afraid of mortars, Grad rockets or tanks. We were afraid when the plane was flying"
I was pulling a fallen tree and noticed a torn human body
21.06.2022
Lilia Petrovna Malytska
"I was pulling a fallen tree and noticed a torn human body"
“I am Makar and I am seven years old today. And this is my home”  “Thank you to our “liberators” from russia for doing this”
15.08.2022
Irina Nikolaevna Ermakova
“I am Makar and I am seven years old today. And this is my home” “Thank you to our “liberators” from russia for doing this”
“Ukrainian Mariupol will be reborn. We will wait. I agree to wait”
01.08.2022
Larisa Troyanova
“Ukrainian Mariupol will be reborn. We will wait. I agree to wait”
“Hunger was a problem worse than air raids. Hunger and lack of water”
29.05.2022
Zlatoslava Malinovskaya
“Hunger was a problem worse than air raids. Hunger and lack of water”
“I would have never forgiven myself if this girl had been taken to an orphanage”
26.05.2022
Valeria Valerievna Zelenskaya
“I would have never forgiven myself if this girl had been taken to an orphanage”
This was hell. That month… I will never forget it
25.05.2022
Sofia Silyutina
"This was hell. That month… I will never forget it"
The whole maternity hospital bounced up and down from the explosion
25.05.2022
Olena Shilova
"The whole maternity hospital bounced up and down from the explosion"
“We will never forgive them. For the people who died”
22.09.2022
Oleksandra Stolyar
“We will never forgive them. For the people who died”
These photos are a small part of what happened to me and my family in Mariupol
05.09.2022
Evgeny Sosnovsky
"These photos are a small part of what happened to me and my family in Mariupol"
“He was so hungry that he ate his friend’s toys”
02.09.2022
Volodymyr and Maria Bespali
“He was so hungry that he ate his friend’s toys”
“We spent 25 days in the Azovstal bunker. It was hell on earth”
28.07.2023
Serhiy Vasyliovych Duhno
“We spent 25 days in the Azovstal bunker. It was hell on earth”
“Being a mother at Azovstal is indeed the motherhood of steel”
14.06.2023
Anna Zaitseva
“Being a mother at Azovstal is indeed the motherhood of steel”
 Katia, who lived opposite Azovstal, was saved by a miracle
27.12.2022
Kateryna Kotova
" Katia, who lived opposite Azovstal, was saved by a miracle"
«At Azovstal, the feeling was that we had fallen into a mousetrap. We did not know if we would get out or not»
22.11.2022
Yulia Shabanova
«At Azovstal, the feeling was that we had fallen into a mousetrap. We did not know if we would get out or not»
 We will always have a wound in our hearts
15.04.2024
Evgeny Tuzov
"We will always have a wound in our hearts"
 On her birthday, my sister buried her husband
10.04.2024
Inna Potapova
"On her birthday, my sister buried her husband"
 You either burn alive in the basement or come out under fire, there was no other choice
09.04.2024
Oleksandr Tkachenko
"You either burn alive in the basement or come out under fire, there was no other choice"
A six-year-old girl asked: Are you my dad? And her father was crushed in the Drama Theater
09.04.2024
Vasyl Moroz
"A six-year-old girl asked: "Are you my dad?" And her father was crushed in the Drama Theater"
After the explosion in the Drama Theatre, my mother was covered in blood. She had an open head injury
08.04.2024
Julia Moroz
"After the explosion in the Drama Theatre, my mother was covered in blood. She had an open head injury"
If they find me, they will hardly leave me alive. I started screaming loudly
07.04.2024
Ihor Georgiyovych Kaznacheev
"If they find me, they will hardly leave me alive. I started screaming loudly"
We left Mariupol on foot. Corpses were on the streets, shells were whistling overhead
06.04.2024
Marta Panchenko
"We left Mariupol on foot. Corpses were on the streets, shells were whistling overhead"
 My family was deported to russia
05.04.2024
Svitlana Frolkina
"My family was deported to russia"
A russian tank drove into the yard. And in our flat, without knocking, the occupier came
03.04.2024
Valentina Alekseeva
"A russian tank drove into the yard. And in our flat, without knocking, the occupier came"
“The walls were burning, people were burning. We could hear them screaming”
03.04.2024
Olga Buryachenko
“The walls were burning, people were burning. We could hear them screaming”
After the airstrike on the maternity hospital, two-hour-old babies in light nappies were brought out. I wrapped my baby in my scarf
29.03.2024
Anna Camarali
"After the airstrike on the maternity hospital, two-hour-old babies in light nappies were brought out. I wrapped my baby in my scarf"
 I saw everything: destroyed houses, dead bodies lying in the street
28.03.2024
Natalya Davidulina
"I saw everything: destroyed houses, dead bodies lying in the street"
Shoot, but give my wife some milk. Shes on the second floor at the prenatal care
28.03.2024
Karolina Savosina
"Shoot, but give my wife some milk. She's on the second floor at the prenatal care"
 «Dead people, children, crosses… But we had a goal – to get out»
28.03.2024
Oleksandr Melnyk
«Dead people, children, crosses… But we had a goal – to get out»
Mum, open the windows, lets give people joy, my violinist daughter used to say
27.03.2024
Oksana Repetska
"Mum, open the windows, let's give people joy," my violinist daughter used to say"
“When we left Azovstal, we found ourselves in the middle of a battle. Mines were flying over us, bullets were whistling”
27.03.2024
Sergey Dukhno
“When we left Azovstal, we found ourselves in the middle of a battle. Mines were flying over us, bullets were whistling”
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