One year after her death, TFP is honored to share an essay by slain Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina on the need to face past—and present—crimes against humanity.
After the liberation of Kherson, it wasn’t long before Victoria Amelina announced on her Twitter account that she was travelling there to document the Russian war crimes against Ukraine’s cultural heritage. – Naturally wearing a helmet and flak jacket, she set off to record the looting and destruction in Kherson and its museum and to report on it on Twitter and elsewhere. –
There I had reminded her of her resemblance to the Allied “Monuments Men” during World War II, who located and secured art looted by German occupying forces throughout Europe. – Neglecting all respectful politeness, I warned her in March 2023 to beware of Russian booby traps in museums and concert halls in previously occupied territories.
It was inconceivable to me that she would be fatally injured by a russian rocket in that café In Kramatorsk a few weeks later. What she said about the forever sorely missed legacy of other authors also applies to her own work, which has not yet been written and will never be written. -
After the liberation of Kherson, it wasn’t long before Victoria Amelina announced on her Twitter account that she was travelling there to document the Russian war crimes against Ukraine’s cultural heritage. – Naturally wearing a helmet and flak jacket, she set off to record the looting and destruction in Kherson and its museum and to report on it on Twitter and elsewhere. –
There I had reminded her of her resemblance to the Allied “Monuments Men” during World War II, who located and secured art looted by German occupying forces throughout Europe. – Neglecting all respectful politeness, I warned her in March 2023 to beware of Russian booby traps in museums and concert halls in previously occupied territories.
It was inconceivable to me that she would be fatally injured by a russian rocket in that café In Kramatorsk a few weeks later. What she said about the forever sorely missed legacy of other authors also applies to her own work, which has not yet been written and will never be written. -
Reading East West Street was such a powerful experience. Seeing Victoria’s references are haunting.