Item #24 | Ethereal Defender: Guardian Angel Embracing Ukraine by Victoria Boyko

“Ethereal Defender: Guardian Angel Embracing Ukraine” by Victoria Boyko

This painting, created by five-year-old Victoria Boyko, carries deep significance as it was crafted in the very place where she sought refuge from Russian missiles. It stands as a powerful symbol of the indomitable spirit of the Ukrainian people, unyielding in the face of adversity. It serves as a testament to the unwavering resilience and unwavering resolve of the Ukrainian nation.
In March and April of 2022, a group of Ukrainian children known as the “Metro” drew these pictures while seeking refuge in the subway stations of Kharkiv, where they had taken shelter from Russian bombs and rockets.
This artwork resonates with individuals of goodwill who value freedom above mere survival. It encapsulates the profound message that the human spirit, when united in pursuit of liberty, can triumph over any challenge.
These children’s drawings were created by talented Ukrainian children who found themselves in the midst of the harshest war conditions. Russian bombs and rockets are falling on the heads of these children and their parents. Some are killed, some are maimed. The death toll is in the thousands. Entire cities are wiped off the face of the earth, both large, like Mariupol, and small, too numerous to count.
Truly, the historical part of the collection consists of drawings by children from the city of Kharkiv. They were created at the Kharkiv metro stations, where parents hid their children during the winter months of 2022, when Kharkiv was subjected to particularly intense daily bombing, and the Russian army was stationed in the vicinity of the city.
Volunteers and art teachers, such as Lyubov Milovanova and Marina Ladyzhenskaya, organized “underground art clubs” at 29 metro stations – the Kharkiv metro has a total of 30 underground stations – where they distracted children’s minds from the fear of war.
By purchasing any of these works, you make a charitable contribution to the creation of the Mother Teresa Rehabilitation Center on the Adriatic coast, where particularly disadvantaged Ukrainian children will receive assistance. Those who have lost their hands or legs due to bombings or buildings collapsing on them. And some have lost both.
The Soul of Ukraine, an International Charitable Foundation, thanks all participants in this charity auction. It is compassionate people who make up the best part of those who call themselves humanity.