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A photograph of 6-year-old Vlad standing next to his mother’s grave in a backyard in Bucha, Ukraine shocked the world.
Buca experienced some of the most horrific scenes of Russian aggression. Vlad’s mother, Marina Naumetz, died when the family was forced to take shelter in the basement during the Russian aggression. Voice of America correspondents talked these days with Vlad’s brother, Ivan Drah, who is still in Kiev and continues to describe the horrors his family experienced.
The photo of the boy standing next to his mother’s grave in Bucha has been shared around the world as a symbol of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.
Vlad’s mother, Marina Naumetz, took care of the children. When the war started, the family hid in the basement of their apartment complex in Buça.
Marina’s husband, Ivan Drahun, remembers how his family rarely left the basement.
“It was difficult because it was very cold; it was hard to breathe. We sat there in the dark. We couldn’t go out; we used a bucket to go to the bathroom”.
Ivan says the bombings were very shocking for his wife. One night, she went to sleep and never woke up.
“Marina was always stressed. She could feel her heart beating fast every now and then. // Had a headache; he was taking a lot of medicine for his heart.”
Neighbors helped Ivan bury his wife in the yard. The coffin was made from an old cupboard.
Marina had two other children from her first marriage, 13-year-old Sofia and 10-year-old Vladimir.
“Vladimir and Sofia understood, but Vladi could not conceive of his mother’s death. We told him that mom has gone to work. But then slowly he realized what had happened. It was night and he woke me up and asked me: ‘Dad, did mom die?’ What should I do? I said: ‘Yes, son, mom died. But she is with us, she sees us, she protects us”.
A week after Marina’s death, Buca was released. Ivan exhumed Marina’s body for forensic examination and then reburied her in the cemetery. The medical examiner said she had died of a heart attack.
Ivan wanted to leave the place that reminds him of his wife’s death, but the family did not have enough money to move.
Help came from all over the world. A resident of Odesa, entrepreneur Igor Kyrylenko, who lives in Virginia, saw Vlad’s photo and wanted to help.
“When I saw that photo of Vlad standing by his mother’s grave… he looked so sad and I couldn’t help but help. Vladi is as old as my son, six years old… I decided to contact his family”.
Igor and Ivan became friends. He started a GoFundMe account for Ivan that has already raised over $8,000
“He is a very good man. I am extremely grateful.”
Today, the family is staying in a dormitory near Kiev and planning to move. One possibility is Portugal.
Friends of Associated Press photographer Rodrigo Abd, who took Vlad’s famous photo, have offered help.
Meanwhile, despite the horror of losing his mother, Vlad is spending the summer on his bike – just like many children./Voa
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