Award-winning Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina was tragically killed in a Russian missile attack on a popular restaurant in eastern Ukraine, which was frequented by journalists and aid workers. This devastating incident took place in the city of Kramatorsk on June 27, and Amelina, who had shifted her focus from literature to document Russian war crimes, succumbed to her injuries. The literature and human rights organization, PEN America, shared this heartbreaking news in a statement.
The attack claimed the lives of at least 11 individuals and left 61 wounded. It occurred during dinner hours when the restaurant was typically bustling with activity. Ukrainian authorities promptly apprehended a man who was later accused of assisting Russia in directing the missile strike.
This attack, along with several others that occurred throughout Ukraine that day, indicates that the Kremlin continues to intensify its assault on the country. Remarkably, this continues despite the political and military upheaval in Russia following a brief armed uprising on June 24.
PEN Ukraine released a statement announcing the tragic passing of Victoria Amelina after informing her family. At the time, Amelina was in Kramatorsk as part of a delegation of Colombian writers and journalists. She had been collaborating with the human rights organization Truth Hounds to document Russian war crimes.
In another incident, Ukrainian officials reported that drone strikes were shot down over Kyiv. This further underscores the ongoing conflict and tension in the region.
Victoria Amelina was a celebrated Ukrainian author who fearlessly redirected her talents to investigate and uncover war crimes following the full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Polina Sadovskaya, the Eurasia director at PEN America, emphasized Amelina’s contribution, stating that she employed her literary prowess to describe the devastating impact of these human rights violations on the lives of Ukrainians with precision and eloquence.
Born on January 1, 1986, in Lviv, Amelina published her debut novel, “The November Syndrome, or Homo Compatiens,” in 2014, which received recognition as a finalist for the Ukrainian Valeriy Shevchuk Prize. She went on to achieve success with two award-winning children’s books, namely “Somebody, or Waterheart,” and another novel called “Storie-e-es of Eka the Excavator.” In 2017, her novel “Dom’s Dream Kingdom” received both national and international acclaim, including the prestigious UNESCO City of Literature Prize and the European Union Prize for Literature.
Following the invasion, Amelina dedicated herself to documenting Russian war crimes in eastern Ukraine. Notably, she discovered the diary of Volodymyr Vakulenko, a Ukrainian writer assassinated by the Russians, in Kapytolivka near Izium. Additionally, Amelina was in the midst of writing her first work of English nonfiction, titled “War and Justice Diary: Looking at Women Looking at War,” which chronicles the experiences of Ukrainian women gathering evidence of Russian war crimes. It is expected to be published soon, according to PEN Ukraine.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
