GRANTEE
While the world knows about Mariupol and Bucha, it does not know much about Siverskodonetsk, the administrative center of the Luhansk region. Its story is unique: It was occupied twice, first ten years ago and again fairly recently. Liberated in 2014, Siverskodonetsk fostered connections with other Ukrainian cities and regions, European integration, as well as the adaptation of internally displaced persons. The author of the project, a renowned journalist and witness of the Russian aggression, attempts to comprehend these events. Supported by residents of the city, he analyzes original sources to create a detailed account of events on the front line, evacuation, life under occupation, and considers future prospects. In various documentation forms, including poetic reportages, the author explores how people who have lost everything are building their lives anew. Among the topics of the project are business, healthcare, education, and culture amid war, work of humanitarian hubs, mutual aid and volunteering, solidarity with the world (including Ukrainian and Jewish diasporas). The author documents relations between NGOs and the government, resilience in overcoming difficulties, and uncovers crimes and lies of the occupiers. The text includes reflections and suggestions for postwar development of the region.