Natalia Klymiuk, a volunteer at the Heroes' Memorial on Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine, on October 17, 2025. VIRGINIE NGUYEN HOANG/HUMA FOR LE MONDE
When Valentina Rosynska, 62, came to the Heroes' Memorial in Kyiv to plant a Ukrainian flag in honor of her nephew who died in combat, she was directed to an empty spot on the lawn because the area reserved for his brigade was already full. "But it's empty!" she said. "Come back in a month, you'll see," she was told. Today, the flag bearing her nephew's name is lost among thousands of others.
Each flag represents a fallen soldier. "I never thought this place would fill up so much, so quickly," said the Ukrainian, who had come to pay her respects at Maidan, the city's Independence Square, on this October morning. Two friends accompanied her. The first's son has been missing since 2022. The second's son had to leave the army after two serious injuries left him disabled. Rosynska pointed to the forest of flags and the portraits of the deceased: "Look how young and handsome these boys were. This place carries the pain of all Ukraine."
A few meters away, families silently held placards bearing the images of their relatives – soldiers who are missing in action. "My brother was fighting in the Kursk region. I haven't heard from him since September 2024," said Katerina Opalko, 35. "His comrades told me he was dead, but the body hasn't been found, so I still have hope." For her, planting a flag was not an option. That would mean giving up hope.
