Love and Loss in the Midst of War: Valeria’s Story
In the midst of the relentless bombing and destruction in Mariupol, a story of love and loss emerged that captured the hearts of many. Valeria Subotina, a 33-year-old press officer working in a Soviet-era bomb shelter deep beneath the Azovstal steelworks, found love with her fiancé Andriy Subotin, a 34-year-old Ukrainian army officer defending the plant.
Their love story began years before the siege, as they met through work at Mariupol’s Border Guard Agency. Andriy’s kindness and optimism drew Valeria in, and they quickly moved in together, building a life filled with happiness and adventure.
But as Russia’s invasion loomed, their dreams of a future together were shattered. Valeria refused to leave Mariupol, determined to defend her city alongside Andriy. As the siege intensified, they found moments of happiness in the underground bunker, where they eventually married in a makeshift ceremony with tin-foil rings.
Tragically, just two days after their wedding, Andriy was killed in action by Russian shelling at the steel plant. Valeria, unaware of his death at first, had to hold in her grief as she continued to defend her city alongside her comrades.
After enduring months of captivity and torture at the hands of the Russian military, Valeria was finally released in a prisoner exchange. Now back in Ukraine, she grapples with the loss of her husband and the devastation of her city, knowing that Andriy’s body remains at the Azovstal steel plant.
Despite the unimaginable pain and loss she has endured, Valeria finds solace in speaking to Andriy in the sky above. Her story serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of war and the enduring power of love in the face of tragedy.
