Pierre Crom

  • Ukraine
    • The Illusion of Appeasement
    • Winter 2025, the betrayal
    • Year 11, the long war
    • Winter 2023-24
    • Zaporizhzhia
    • [TSE NASHE]
    • O.C. South
    • Russia invades Ukraine further
    • winter 2016
    • summer 2015
    • spring 2015
    • winter 2015
    • summer 2014
    • MH17
    • Donbas 2014
    • Crimea 2014
  • War in Ukraine
  • War in Ukraine on Google Maps
  • Subjectio
  • Subjectio on Google Maps
  • Amaranthine
  • Anticamera /antechamber/
  • R.S.
  • Contact
  • Biography
  • Aesthetics

Odesa, May 08, 2015 - street racers perform a burnout on an abandoned highway. © Pierre Crom

By spring 2015, Ukraine remained deeply divided, grappling with ongoing conflict in the east and internal challenges to its national identity. In Odessa, on May 2, the city marked the first anniversary of the tragic events at the Trade Union building, where 48 people, mostly pro-Russian activists, lost their lives in a fire during clashes between rival groups. The incident remained a point of contention, with investigations ongoing and both sides accusing each other of responsibility.

Saur-Mohila, May 08, 2015 - Pro-Russian separatists attend the VE day commemoration at the Saur-Mohila war memorial. © Pierre Crom

In May 2015, Ukraine enacted decommunization laws aimed at removing Soviet symbols and renaming places associated with the communist era. Over 51,000 settlements, streets, and buildings were renamed as part of this initiative. The laws also banned the public display of communist and Nazi symbols. While intended to foster a Ukrainian national identity, the laws sparked debate over historical memory and freedom of expression.

Donetsk, May 09, 2015 - A Russian tank operator and his girlfriend participate in the VE Day military parade. © Pierre Crom

In Donetsk, the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) commemorated Victory Day on May 9, 2015, at the Savur-Mohyla memorial. The memorial, which honors Soviet soldiers who died during World War II, had been damaged during the ongoing conflict. Despite the destruction, the event highlighted the DPR's efforts to assert its identity and maintain morale among supporters. In areas like Vuhlehirsk, which had been captured by Russian-backed forces in early 2015, the population faced dire humanitarian conditions. The ongoing conflict disrupted access to food, medicine, and basic services, leading to increased suffering among civilians. Many residents remained in their homes, unable or unwilling to flee the violence.