TWO YEARS OF UNBREAKABILITYThe story ofthe widow of the fallen Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier Vitaliy Truba
25 February 18:41
“Two boats are two parts of the heart, where you and I are together, the sailboat is our son. Thank you for being in my life.”
There is no data on how many families in Ukraine are mourning soldiers killed at the front. Tonya Truba, the wife of a fallen soldier, paints pictures to numb the pain and distract herself from the cruel reality for at least a short time.
In an exclusive interview as part of the special project Ukraine on Fire: Non-Fictional Stories, Tonya tells us about the pre-war life of their family and why she paints the sea in memory of her husband. He was killed on 20 February 2023 while performing a combat mission near the village of Dubovo-Vasylivka, Donetsk region, during a corrected artillery shelling with Krasnopol shells.
This picture is my dedication and gratitude to my beloved husband, who gave me almost 22 years of happy married life.
Vitaly loved the sea and would have served in the navy at any cost. And he did: from 1996 to 1999, he served conscripted and contracted service in the Ukrainian Navy as a senior sailor and ship’s cook. But as it turned out later, Vitali was in love with me, a classmate of the village school where we studied our final years, more than the sea.
I remember meeting Vitaliy during his holiday: handsome, tall, in a formal navy uniform, with clear blue eyes. My heart fluttered, but I didn’t know then that those deep sea-blue eyes would stay in my heart for the rest of my life.
After the end of the contract, Vitaliy, a sailor at heart, abandoned his dreams of sailing and career plans and rushed to Kyiv to completely captivate my heart and soul. He gently and confidently sought the love of a 4th year student. “And I fell in love with you, my Vitali – sincere and caring, kind and reliable, funny and smart, and most importantly, madly in love with me.

– Where did the war find your family?
on 24 February 2022, a terrible storm, the war, broke into our lives. From the first day of Russia’s full-scale invasion, my beloved stood up to defend our family, our home, our dreams of a quiet family life: travelling, fishing, getting a dog, planting a walnut orchard, playing with our grandchildren..
Vitaliy stood up to defend Ukraine because he was a true patriot and gave the most valuable thing – his life for Ukraine and its people.
– What did your husband do before the war?
Vitaliy was born in Kyiv. Later, he studied at Vocational School 32 of River Transport, specialising as a ship’s cook. Vitalii worked for various companies, such as Tact, Internet Media, Gazeta 2000, Volya Cable, Provide, NPP DZBK, Levelkom, and Ukrposhta. Everywhere he proved to be a responsible, punctual and hardworking employee.
On 24 February, the man joined the volunteer formation of the territorial community of Rozhivka village, and on 15 March he was officially included in the volunteer formation of the TRO of Kyiv and Kyiv region. Kyiv and Kyiv region. On 5 June 2022, Vitalii was enlisted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He volunteered, and my son and I made this decision with pride and pain.
Our entire family supported Vitaliy and his comrades in arms during their service in the Armed Forces: training and logistics, healthy food and goodies, as well as gentle and motivating conversations or postcards with our loved one at every opportunity. For a year and four days, Vitalii performed combat missions in a separate motorised infantry battalion of a mortar battery (a service number in a mortar platoon) in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. on 20 February, 2023, he died during a combat mission near the village of Dubovo-Vasylivka, Donetsk region, during a corrected artillery shelling with Krasnopol shells, a direct hit.
From the beginning of the war to his last breath, Vitaliy was faithful to his military oath, his calling, his homeland and the entire Ukrainian people.

– The theme of the painting is not war, not peaceful life, but the sea itself… The sea as eternity and infinity?
The sea, which has different shades, just like the eyes of a lover, which changed colour depending on the weather or mood, and in which you could drown.
Together with my husband and son Yevhen, we adored spending time by the water: basking on a warm sea beach, boating and fishing on the river, admiring mountain streams and waterfalls. It didn’t matter whether we were staying in an expensive hotel abroad or in a tent in our native land. The main thing is that we were TOGETHER. And it has always been like that!

The picture is also filled with symbols: the stones on the shore as the personification of loyalty, immutability and strength of our love and family values; two boats are two parts of the heart, where you and I are together; a sailboat with a raised sail in the distance is our son, who is rapidly and confidently moving towards his dreams and desires, remembering his parents’ instructions and advice.
The sea always beckons and fascinates – no matter if you like to conquer the waves or just listen to its noise.
This painting is my dedication and gratitude to my beloved husband, who gave me almost 22 years of happy married life. He gave me our son Eugene, his copy with sea-blue eyes, in whom he invested so much love, care, time and effort. You were by our son’s side as soon as we found out that I was pregnant.
You are the best Dad in the world! I thank you, Beloved, for your warmth and tenderness, understanding and support. Thank you for loving, protecting, defending and making me happy all these years.
See you in the hereafter… I love you! You are forever in our hearts..