Oleg - Kharkiv “To me the pigeon symbolises life and peace. I hope that when I open my eyes, all of this was just a horrible nightmare” - Oleg (57) from Kharkiv. 32 years ago Oleg was one of the first to move into the newly developed apartment blocks in the Saltivka neighbourhood in Kharkiv. Before the war his family had 3 apartments in the area. One for Oleg and his wife, one for his mother and another where his son and daughter in law lived with their small children. When the bombardment and destruction of the homes started they survived by seeking shelter in the basement for 4 days. After that they were forced to flee. For 30 years Oleg has been having pigeons in a shed at the playground between the apartment buildings. Several times during the severe attacks he walked 16 km back and forth in an attempt to save his 40 pigeons. On one occasion he was almost killed by debris falling from top of a building when it was hit by a rocket. Oleg managed to safe 12 pigeons the rest starved to death as he couldn’t get back for 6 months. Today Oleg lives with his mother in her apartment. The only apartment that wasn’t destroyed. The the grandchildren, son and daughter in law have fled and Oleg’s wife lives displaced in another town to take care of her mother. Only few people stayed in the the destroyed apartment blocks in Saltivka. It has become a city of ghost with empty and destroyed spaces. Oleg goes twice a day to attend his pigeons. Shining a small ray of light and hope as the war continues. In the region of Kharkiv 1.600 civilians have been killed, among them 74 children. 2.500 people have been wounded. (her: Харків, Україна • Kharkiv, Ukraine) https://www.instagram.com/p/CrK9v4vr_I4/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=