Ukraine – the Morgue

The woman approached the mortuary outbuilding slowly, fearful of what she would find.

Inside, somewhere among the other bodies, was her son Eduard. She had come to take him home.

Her eyes took a moment to adjust to the gloom and take in the scene inside. Bodies laid out on the bare ground, some placed on top of each other. Some shelled and mangled, some looking untouched.

Some in torn battledress and some in civilian clothes. Some in thick black body bags and some naked.

The attendant took her to one unclothed body. She hesitated. “Yes, yes, yes,” she suddenly called out.

“He’s 22-years-old. How could you do this to my baby?” she cried. “He’s lying on his side naked.”