Russian war on Kyiv triggers wave of patriotic tattoos, inspiring billboards in Ukraine

Russian war on Ukraine has w lasted for 26 days with evident devastation leing to a widespre humanitarian crisis. As inving forces aggravate aggression against Kyiv, ex-Soviet nation is witnessing a wave of patriotism expressed through inspirational tattoos and billboards. Among most favoured are Ukrainian flag and biblical phrases against war, Associated Press reported.

Business in a tattoo parlour in Lviv boomed after Ukrainians rushed to inscribe patriotic-med symbols. "This tattoo means a lot to us," 18-year-old Olena Barlevych told AP while she got a Ukrainian coat of arms with a military aircraft, symbolising Kyiv's fight against Russia.

"It is a very phase for our country, which must go down in history and passed on to future generations," she ded, expressing her gamut of emotions in tough times.

Artist and owner of a tattoo store, Natalia Tanchynets, said that people from several parts of Ukraine have flocked to get similar tattoos as ex-Soviet country battles against brutal Russian strikes. At her shop, she also put up a stop sign with word "war" handwritten on it. Natalia donated 70% of her proceeds to Ukrainian army.

Although war has been beneficial for her business, it has come at a cost. "I am so s about this situation in my country," Natalia told AP, ding that one of her clients was killed on frontlines last week.

[Ukrainian Olena Barlevych gets a patriotic-med tattoo at her workshop in Lviv, Western Ukraine, Saturday, March 19, 2022. Im: AP]

[Ukrainian Natalia Tanchynets works on a patriotic-med tattoo at her workshop in Lviv, Western Ukraine, Saturday, March 19, 2022. Im: AP]

Meanwhile, Lviv print shop manr Yuri Kobryn said that ever since war began, he has found creative ways to spre mess of support for Ukrainian troops. Inste of vertisements, his company has w printed biblical phrases and idioms against war, and especially for Ukrainian army. Messs also included prayers for Ukrainian Army.

" guys from Army were pleasantly surprised and asked me if I could make smaller versions that y could give to ors," Kobryn said.

[A worker sets up a billboard with colors of Ukraine flag and "Jesus, save our defenders" inscribed on it in voiavorisk, near Lviv, Western Ukraine, Friday, March 18, 2022. Im: AP]

Russia-Ukraine war

developments come against backdrop of raging Russia-Ukraine war that began on February 24. situation worsened as Russian forces seized strategic cities like Mariupol, Kherson, Cherbyl, and Zaporizhzhya NPP and have continued to march towards Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Inving forces have shelled civilians and residential buildings.

As war escalates by day, negotiations between Ukraine and Russian delegates have turned "more realistic," according to Zelenskyy. Meanwhile, Russian and Ukrainian delegations are likely to resume talks virtually on Monday, March 21, reported Ukrayinska Pravda media outlet on Sunday.

Raising concerns on severe war situation in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his video dress on Sunday said, "I am rey for negotiations with him. I was rey for last two years. And I think that without negotiations we cant end this war. I think that we have to use any format, any chance in order to have a possibility of negotiating, possibility of talking to Putin. But if se attempts fail, that would mean that this is a third World War." 

Meanwhile, over 900 civilians have been killed in Ukraine ever since Russia anunced an all-out military attack on February 24, Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said on Sunday. Separately, UNHCR claimed that nearly ten million Ukrainian citizens have escaped abro in search of safety or been internally displaced as a result of Russia-Ukraine war.

(With inputs from AP)

(Im: AP)