The War Museum hosted a public conversation with Ivan Lyubysh-Kirdey, a photographer, cameraman, and war correspondent for Reuters, this year’s winner of the Georgiy Gongadze Prize. A man who went through hell and survived.
Together with his wife Mariia Semenchenko, a journalist, Ivan shared the story of his life after August 24, 2024, when, while performing an editorial task in Kramatorsk, he was seriously injured as a result of a russian ballistic missile strike on the Sapphire Hotel. It was a point of no return – but not defeat: despite the loss of one eye, a long coma, memory loss, and complex rehabilitation, Ivan retained what has always been his essence – the desire to shoot. ’This is the story I had to record,’ Ivan says.
Yurii Savchuk, Director General of the Museum, noted the extremely strong will to live of the Museum’s event Hero. His openness, sharp sense of humor, and warmth when talking about people not only touch but also give strength to all those who struggle – every day and in different ways.
Sincere and frank conversation between Ivan and his wife, Mariia, with the event’s moderator, Museum researcher Roman Kabachiy, revealed not only the realities of the military commander’s work but also the power of closeness. Family, friends, love – all of these became points of support in the struggle for recovery. He told us how his muscle memory had returned thanks to the accordion, how cooking helped him concentrate, and how he had regained the desire to film – despite everything.
As a memento of the meeting, Ivan handed over to the Museum’s collection his lens that was broken during the shelling of the Sapphire Hotel, as well as his ATO/JFO journalist credentials. Fragile but strong things – just like the history itself, which we will be saving now.
