Staying in touch with Ukraine

I draw my parents as we talk. They are the only ones I stay in touch with the video - it helps me and it helps them and they still have power and internet - so we indulge in long conversations. A dance of changing subjects is well-rehearsed by now. This is a tiny window of respite for both sides.  

These are the human faces of the war that Russia declared on Ukraine. My parents, they are far away from me, in a country that is fighting for its life. Thank you to all who fights to protect them and Ukraine and the right to be different, independent, the right to choose your path.

Sketching Parents - during peace and now during war.

I drew my parents today - as I almost always do when we have one of our video calls. 

I want to share these for a special reason. Because these are the real human faces of war that Russia declared on Ukraine. These are people whose first language is Russian, who grew up in the Russian-dominated culture of the USSR yet who never were persecuted for their language or Russian ancestry, ties, and friends in Ukraine - since it became independent 30 years ago. Ukraine has many complicated issues but the picture that is painted by Russian propaganda is a complete lie. And today Russian army is shelling a peaceful independent neighbor under a pretense of saving Russians from genocide. 

There are too many feelings right now. But one thing keeps surfacing for me - I am so very grateful for the technology that allows me to be in touch with them - especially right now.