Flooded Memories
2023
Authors: Yuliia Gladka, Nick Gladkiy
When volunteers were clearing the ruins of houses after the horrors of war and floods caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station by the Russian military, we literally stumbled upon a piece of the past - family photo albums. Almost all of the black-and-white photographs became blank sheets under the influence of water, but several dozen photos from the albums of the 90s have survived, although not without consequences from prolonged exposure to water.
In one of the albums, you can see a man in a wheelchair and on crutches, and later we found out that he was the brother of the woman we helped clean the house. He and his sister used to live in the same yard, and his house, located closer to the river, was badly damaged by the flood. At the age of 25, his brother became disabled after a motorbike accident. For two decades, despite his physical limitations, he raised his son, who can also be seen in the photo. After his father's death, the son became the owner of the house. With the start of the full-scale invasion, he joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces, but was later captured. After his liberation and a short rehabilitation, he returned to service. Unfortunately, his fate is unknown.
Photos used with the permission of the homeowner.
