Perous Secret Diary - Keep Out

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HOSTOMEL HELL

on our second day, we split in cars to pick up people and kit

so Roman kindly drove me in his car to meet our crew in Hostomel

where i met a fierce Ukranian security service soldier on a road block, who didnt like the fact i wasn't PRESS and didnt have a government permit to be taking pictures in Hostomel

Hostomel is where the russian invasion started, when the russians flew helicopters in and tried to take the airport

the airport is clearly still a security concern.

we had hoped to photograph there but it was not possible at all

seemed a little serious for a while until a few phone calls to the right people clear us (me)

met up with crew,

it feels heavy and tense in Hostomel

we're shown round a housing estate, or what's left of it...

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all the buildings are completely fucked

(which were full of people living here when the invasion started)

reinforced concrete looks like its crumbled biscuit: totally smashed

you can imagine the force of the missiles that struck these buildings to do this

and easily imagine how people die under this rubble as buildings collapse

i'm left to walk about on my own for a while and i am overwhelmed with emotion and have to fight hard not to really start crying

for the first time since ive been in ukraine

again, my pictures dont do the scene justice: you can't feel the vibe here: but its very dark

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a bit of something

im encouraged not to walk into undergrowth that hasnt been swept for me first

i dont know what this is, but i was standing next to it all the same

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there are many stray cats and dogs kicking about bucha, irping and Hostomel

without homes now and probably without owners

their owners either died or they fled and left them behind

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so many people died in their cars, trying to flee the horror

sometimes, the russians would make like they were allowing people to leave and then they'd fire on them

families with children and babies too

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poppies always grow in 'disturbed ground'

despite a little rain, finished our epic 2 day photoshooting and retired for another amazing home cooked meal from Svetlana

who has spoiled us with her hospitality

all of the ukranians i meet are welcoming and kind, lovely people (except that soldier this morning BUT he was only 'doing his job' to be fair)

Perous Secret Diary - Keep Out: July 15, 2022