ai–painting and story by Nadia Lytovchenko 

aiAndrii and I met  the winter of 2015 at military courses for civilians. Together we studied disaster medicine, the rules of handling weapons, and infantry tactics. After the start of the Russian invasion in 2014, we understood that a large, full-scale war was still ahead. We would be prepared.

aiThe love story began in the summer of the same year, 2014, and in the fall the lovers started living together. By the beginning of winter, 2015, both went to war as paramedics.

aiWe got married in 2017 and a year later Andrii was offered a job at the Marseille Institute of Particle Physics. So we moved to the south of France and agreed to return to Ukraine if a major war began.

aiOnce we called via video link, we talked for a long time, Andriy was  sincere and gentle, he said that I must be strong for the sake of the baby. I thought then what a blessing to have a child from such a beloved husband. Unfortunately, that was the end of our story...

aiAndriy, platoon commander of the reconnaissance unit in the 241st battalion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, died while performing a combat mission from a wound to the head. It was July 12, 2022 in the village of Dementiivka, Kharkiv region. He was only 33 years old.

aiOur love story is in my painting. On this anniversary I still cannot make sense of death, life, love, loyalty, childhood, dedication, courage, willpower, irreversibility, and much more. I try to grasp every day that. I'm still alive, I am. Marco (our son) is more than alive. He is here, he is. And Andriy is gone.