Editor’s Note
Poet and musician Ivan Senin remembers the first days of the full-scale war in his home city of Kharkiv. Freedom Square, where brutal Russian missile attacks took place, was his favorite place in the city. It was here, in 2014, he stood with the protesters at Kharkiv Maidan, singing songs about the victory.They asked me about it several times, whether it was new acquaintances visiting me from another city for the first time, for whom I gave a historical tour, or old local friends getting together for a walk over wine or coffee. Sooner or later, the question would come up: What is your favorite place in this city?
The more such meetings I had, the more quickly and emphatically I told them it was Freedom Square. They usually asked about it right there, on the spot, or somewhere nearby, as if they already knew the answer. Those who come from farther away, but who had some free time, head there right away. If the square was not decorated for an upcoming holiday, I would walk them to the center, stop, and silently tell them my answer. And only after that, I’d begin to explain more meaningfully why this particular place was my favorite place in Kharkiv.
The same holds true today. If you go to the center of Freedom Square, you will notice that nothing has changed in more than six months. On the contrary, it has gained even more significance. You take a slow and careful look around, and you’re hit with a potpourri of memories. This appears to be your first memory: you get off the trolley bus at the last stop with your mother, father, and brother, and you see a long, gray fence that seems to go on forever, and behind you is the same gray Kharkiv skyscraper.
History repeating: I evacuated my family from war just like my grandfather in 1941
A few days ago, I met with one of the city’s local volunteers, who opened a bar in a basement at the beginning of summer, where charity concerts and poetry evenings are now held. He told me about three journalists from Germany and the Netherlands who came to film the war in Eastern Europe. He needed to drive them to Northern Saltivka and the de-occupied parts of the region.
NB: Not sure of the sentence immediately below. “Before my eyes . . .”
Before my eyes, the hotel sprouted up in place of that fence that would go on forever. I notice how many shards of glass there are. “This hotel is lucky; there has never been a direct hit nearby,” the first voice behind me says. “Yes, of course. Or they just accept it,” another responds.
The year is 2008, and the legendary rock band Queen is performing, with tens of thousands of people jostling and the entire city singing in unison that we are champions and will triumph.
NB: Not sure of sentence below: “A rock concert is taking place . . .”
It’s early April 2014, and we’re back in a crowd in front of the State Administration building, which was stormed by pro-Russian traitors a month ago. We sing similar songs about victory, but these are our songs. Prisoner transport vehicles with special forces are stationed around the perimeter of the square and in the courtyards. A sudden flash of light: two waves clash, shots are fired, and bottles containing an explosive mixture fall beneath our feet. There’s a sense of relief that the wick burned out while the bottles were still in the air. A rock concert is taking place near where the Molotov cocktail landed on my feet in support of the Everything for the Victory tent, which was set on fire the night before. The summer sun is scorching the townspeople who have gathered to express their displeasure.
There was tension in the air on the evening of 22 February 2022, two days before the full-scale war began. Even those who have previously remained on the sidelines attend the rallies. Everyone is looking for unity and support, if not for explanations and answers. You get photos and videos of the performance from the people you went to the Staryy Khem pub with after the rally.
Kharkiv Oblast State Administration building, located in front of Freedom Square, after Russian missile attacks on 1 March 2022 when 24 people were killed. Photo source: Unian
Missile attacks hit the State Administration building last March. I did not get there that morning because the volunteers asked me to help at another site. I couldn’t make it, but my brother was there. I’ve sat through the longest dial tones in my life; each one seems to last forever. The first eternity … The second eternity … The third … The reality in front of my eyes is both concentrated and intoxicated. Then, finally “Hello! Yes, alive. That’s all. Later.” In the evening, my injured and bandaged brother takes a selfie with me. It’s difficult for him to laugh because his ribs hurt, but he still laughs with us despite all the pain.
Three months later, we’re driving down the city’s main street. The roar of the cobblestones causes you to speak much louder: “I’ve always liked cobblestones, but I can’t get used to this sound. Every time, my first thought is that it’s a plane.” My brother agrees and turns on to the paved street.
The potpourri of memories is interrupted by the phrase, “Man, curfew starts in half an hour!” Having returned to reality, you notice a police car stop in the center of the square, and the officer catches your eye through his open window. “Yes, thank you, I remember. I’m on my way home: it’s not far from here,” you say. At the same time, you tell yourself, “No, this is not a square; this is the Maidan. It is the Freedom Maidan.” As the patrolman moves on, you notice that his headlights are the only source of light in the area. And you’ve never seen this square before. For the first time, you notice the night stars that hang above the city’s heart. You continue on your way home, following them.
Meridian Czernowitz’s State of War is an online anthology of essays by Ukrainian intellectuals about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. One hundred Ukrainian authors recount their own experiences, impressions, observations, and feelings in 100 texts. The creation of the anthology takes place within the framework of the USAID-backed, Deepening the Internal Cultural Dialogue in Ukraine project. ©Meridian Czernowitz.
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