– You know, it’s a war generation – I’m trying to find exact words to explain. – Got it. Forever war, right? Oleksandr has been working in a coal mine for 20 years, including the last 8 – during the ongoing war. Anastasia fled from Donetsk and continued to work as a doctor in the non-occupied part of Donbas. There are sandbags behind her back, in a freshly renovated surgery room. Iryna is heading the volunteer center in Bakhmut, she is smiling with the hill of used clothes in the background. The next time I call her, the situation will get worse and worse. Katrya just turned 16, all her school life passed during wartime. Evgenia came back to take care the museum in Slovyansk and to volunteer with her husband – they are searching for bodies of war victims. Valentyna is blaming Kyiv for betrayal, she lives in a settlement that could be translated from Ukrainian as «Peaceful». Vlad asked to talk as soon as possible – his unit is leaving for the next mission. Forever war is spinning around. Katrya teaches me a new perception of life, which has changed since 24 Feb. «You know – now when I’m eating strawberries – I feel every berry. I feel the taste of every berry. The whole process, every second matters.» She is spinning around in the empty concert hall of the school in Kramatorsk, and has no clue when her graduation party will happen. There are red tape crosses on the windows. Her school wasn’t hit, and I'm worried to add "yet". There are still 2 graduates from her class, who stayed in town. Including Katrya. Her thing fingers touched the piano – I know that somewhere in the parallel universe the orchestra started to play the same melody. Music exists even next to tanks roarings and especially – next to the last breath. The piano lid is gently lowered. I feel the taste of every second. Forever War? Nothing last forever, we both know. the recent story for @spiegelmagazin together with @thorezurwelt @metamodern_pro @signe_heldt @foto_ink