As Ukraine continues to battle Russia’s invasion, many women who have lost their loved ones in the war are finding solace in art. Through an initiative called “She is Alive: Love Stories,” grieving wives and mothers are expressing their sorrow, resilience, and love for their fallen family members on canvas.

A Mother’s Pain, A Nation’s Struggle

Svitlana Poltavska, a resident of Troitske in Ukraine’s Luhansk region, knows firsthand the horrors of Russian occupation. When the war began in February 2022, her husband, a soldier in the State Border Guard Service, was sent to the front lines and was killed within days.

Left alone with her two children, Svitlana endured four months under Russian occupation, subjected to violent searches and intimidation. Russian soldiers repeatedly told her to “say thank you” for not harming her children—yet.

“There is nothing human in the Russian army, only total cruelty,” Svitlana said, recalling how she shielded her children from the abuse she suffered.

She eventually managed to escape in mid-2022 and later joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine, determined to defend her country in honor of her late husband.

“A truce at any price is impossible because the price has already been set—the lives of our men, our sons. And there will never be forgiveness for this,” she said.

Painting as a Form of Healing

Like many women in Ukraine, Svitlana found solace in art therapy. The “She is Alive: Love Stories” project provides a safe space for women who have lost their husbands or sons, helping them channel their grief into painting.

“I never painted before, but now it’s my way of showing my love for my husband,” she said, showcasing a painting where she depicted him as a guardian angel watching over their children.

Olena Sokalska, the project’s founder, explains that the initiative allows women to share their pain without words.

“They come here to paint, to talk, to celebrate birthdays. Each of them understands the pain of losing a loved one,” she said.

With over 300 paintings created so far, each piece represents a family torn apart by war. However, the demand for support far exceeds capacity—3,000 women remain on a waiting list for art therapy sessions.

A Son Lost, A Future Stolen

Among the grieving mothers is Vita Kharchuk from Kyiv, whose 22-year-old son Vitaliy was a soldier in the Azov regiment defending Mariupol.

Vitaliy sent his mother a photo on February 26, 2022, just two days after Russia’s full-scale invasion. In it, he is smiling, carrying an NLAW anti-tank weapon on his shoulder. Soon after, he was killed in combat.

“I lost my child, and a child is a future,” Vita said, tears streaming down her face. “I will never have grandchildren, never have anything.”

Vitaliy was later identified in a mass grave, recognized only by his tattoos. His dream, Vita recalls, was to marry his fiancée and have three children.

Now, she paints in his memory, finding comfort among women who share her pain.

A Shared Grief, An Unbreakable Spirit

For many women in Ukraine, painting is more than art—it is survival. It is a way to cope with a war that has taken their loved ones and reshaped their lives forever.

Here, in a small studio, they do not need to explain their pain. They all know it too well. Their art tells the stories of the men they lost, the futures stolen, and the sacrifices made in the fight for Ukraine’s survival.