(Prints size 80x72 cm)
The city is restless. The battle is approaching the city limits and people can hear not only explosions, but also automatic bursts. There are checkpoints on the roads. In some towns and villages of the region a pro-Russian government is already being installed. The scheme is as follows: a local official is taken away, first persuaded, then warned for the last time, he escapes with his family and odious personalities appear, proclaiming themselves the executive power under the protectorate of the Russian military. In Kherson, by the way, the scheme has not yet been used. Impressed by the footage from Bucha, many citizens decided to leave their homes and entire Kherson region at their own peril and risk. Perhaps they realized that the faces of Russian soldiers and their (citizens) well-being depend heavily on the orders. To create a pseudo republic is one thing, but for hostilities it is completely different. Some of those who remained are preparing the bomb shelters. Kherson is getting ready.
The Storyteller is getting ready as well. Three years ago, after the presidential elections in Ukraine, accompanied by loud applause, he told his famous tale about an actor and the head of a superstate. He aptly noted that being president is one thing and playing his role is the other. He spoke in great detail and professionalism about what being means: to make decisions and choose the right tools, create a team with the right people and be responsible for the result. Of course, there are so many fairy tales that they are forgotten too quickly, but he remembers this one very well. Photos from Bucha, Kramatorsk, Mariupol and Mykolayiv leave a lot of questions about the decisions, tools and team, but the word “responsibility” is especially depressing. This is what distinguishes conscious activity from adventurism. The chair under the Storyteller is already on fire. What will he do next: be or play a role?