“Memory of You: Our Today” is the story of Olena, wife of the fallen soldier Suprun Oleksandr, commander of the M109 howitzer, fighter of the 47th Brigade ‘Magura’ who died on 10.10.2024 in the city of Konotop, Sumy region.
Olena holds her son Tymothy in her arms in the apartment where she lived with her husband and son. Tymothy was 4 months old when his father died at the front. As Olena has no relatives in the city, she takes care of her son’s upbringing almost entirely on her own. Napoleon the cat and Adel the dog are important members of the family. Napoleon the cat stays by Timothy’s side all the time, especially after his father’s death.
Tymothy crawls after the cat. Olena brings up the child very freely and allows him to move around the house and contact with the cat is one of his main pastimes. To Tymothy’s right is a large package of clothes for him. This is humanitarian aid for wives who have lost their husbands at the front.
Olena feeds Tymothy before their daily walk in the forest near their home. Before the death of her husband Oleksandr, this was one of the most enjoyable ways to spend time together as a family.
Olena points to her son’s photo of his father. The son recognises his father in the photo and often kisses the photo. In the photo, Oleksandr’s father is walking with a cart with little Timothy’s inside.
Among the photos on the wall there is also a family photo: here they are all together, Oleksandr, Olena and Tymothy. Every day Olena shows her son his father in the photo and waits for the time when she can tell him how heroically his father died at the front and how much he loved his son.
Elena is raising her son in a very diverse way: he loves soap bubbles and is always happy about them.
Olena and her husband Oleksandr lived in this room until his death. Now Olena doesn’t like to spend time here because everything reminds her of her husband. It’s a mess, there are many things scattered around, but Olena is not in the mood to sort them out and put things in order. Olena is holding her husband’s military jacket in her hands. She has prepared it for the photo shoot, but she does not want to be photographed in this room. In the wardrobe, there is a shelf dedicated to her dead husband with of him and some of his things.
Now Olena sleeps in the children’s room next to Tymothy.
Olena looks into the camera. In her hands she holds her dead husband’s military jacket.
Olena tenderly touches the chevron on her husband’s military jacket. She can hardly stop herself from crying. ‘I never thought how hard it could be,’ says Olena.
Napoleon the cat sits on a photo of Oleksandr. After his death, the cat became more sad.
Olena tells her son Tymothy about his father: she shows him his military jacket and shows his photo again. Tymothy, like all children of this age, tries everything and pulls the coat into his mouth.
Olena goes for a walk with her son Tymothy. Their dog, Adel, her husband’s pet, also comes with them. Adele is a very energetic dog and needs a long walk. So they all go out together and walk in the woods nearby for 2-3 hours every day.
Olena walks with her son Tymothy and her dog Adel in the nearby forest. Adel loves to chase the ball, so Olena throws it very far. Tymothy, meanwhile, is exploring the world on the ground and loves to watch Adele chase the ball.
Adel the dog was a purchase by Oleksandr. He dreamed of a big house and a dog of his own. Adele is a very kind dog and loves Tymothy very much.
Olena adores her son and kisses him all the time. Her son, her dog Adel and her cat Napoleon are Olena’s most important treasures after her husband’s death. She needs to take care of them every day, and this somehow keeps her alive, and it is what kept her from committing suicide when she learned of her husband’s death.
Olena, holding her son’s hand, looks into the distance. Their faithful friend, the dog Adel, is next to them.
05.04.2025, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine