Valerii is a retired officer, artist, and curator of many art exhibitions that were held in Mariupol. He lived in the city on the shore of the Sea of Azov until June 2022. He could not leave because he was also responsible for his 92-year-old mother. And for the two-month-old baby who lived next door. It almost died of starvation.

Once the artist finally fled the occupied territory, he began to fight the enemy in the only way possible – by making art. He launched the Mariupol Unconquered project, which brought together Ukrainian artists. The project aims to tell the world about the terrible tragedy that struck the city. He has already had several exhibitions abroad and has even more invitations.