Hanna Tykha

Roman Liubyi had a small camera pressed to his breast as he recorded everything he witnessed during the first weeks of the Russian invasion. 
For a long time, his entire family was staying at their house in Irpin, not far from the site of one of the war’s first battlefields. Roman, therefore, urgently returned to Ukraine from his business trip and joined the air intelligence forces to contribute his reliable knowledge of Irpin’s suburbs, while also being close to his beloved ones. He operated drones, seeking the enemy's vehicles and positions. Though he was physically close to his family, it took a long time before he had a chance to meet them. Sometimes he had a moment to check if there was smoke coming out of his parents' chimney––a sign they were still okay. When Roman finally made it to his parent's house his mother was making pancakes for a small dinner with their neighbors. His father showed him a downed helicopter nearby. They were safe and very happy to reunite.