The 24th of February 2022, Russian invaded Ukraine and I learnt a new phrase, SLAVA UKRAINE!
It has been an honour to stand alongside the brave people of Ukraine. I moved to England from Australia during the Covid-19 pandemic after 16 relentless months on the frontlines of healthcare. My world was one of lockdowns, suffocating PPE, and endless shifts. Yet, my heart was with my teenage son, who had moved to the UK a few years earlier.
When the Australian government granted me special permission to leave, I emigrated. My connection to Ukraine began in Melbourne while volunteering with The Mission to Seafarers. I visited merchant ships docked briefly in port, offering crews practical and emotional support. Among these hardened seafarers were Ukrainians – men and women enduring harsh, isolated work to keep global trade moving. Their stories inspired me to produce editorials highlighting their vital but largely invisible contributions to our society.
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, I was horrified. The democratic West had failed to uphold the territorial integrity it had promised under the Budapest Memorandum. We had already witnessed Russia’s savagery in Georgia, Chechnya, Syria, and its covert wars in Crimea and the Donbas. How could the West stand idle once again?
Equally disturbing is the apathy and self-centredness that seem to pervade society. Ukraine’s Euromaidan and Revolution of Dignity were cries for self-determination that demanded unwavering support. Compelled to act, I grabbed my camera and went to the first rallies in London with a simple conviction: I would stand with Ukraine.
When Russia’s blitzkrieg failed and President Zelenskyy stayed to fight, my commitment deepened. I resolved to use my creative skills to document this historic battle for freedom from a London perspective – to capture the spirit, struggle and strength of a people who refuse to be defeated.
