The story of how 13-year-old Sophia Raietska’s remains wound up here, near battles with Russia in northeastern Ukraine, and separated from any relatives is the story of a war that can reach any Ukrainian.
Mourners at the funeral of 13-year-old Sophia Raietska on May 13 in Svitlodarsk, Ukraine. CHUHUIV, Ukraine — The coffin was covered in a pale pink fabric with a white frill trim — chosen for a young girl. The woman who sold it had questions. Who was this casket for? And how did she get here?didn’t have answers. He was a stranger who had volunteered for the task.
But for most of her life, the conflict was a simmering one with only occasional skirmishes. The threat was always near, but it rarely became dangerous. She led a normal life — singing, drawing, embroidering with beads. She was in a theater group. She was learning English. She dreamed of working in the hotel business after university, said her aunt, Olena Salashnik.
“Sophia would cry, threw tantrums that, ‘Mommy, I’ll be sitting in a basement but at home!’” Salashnik said. “It was an occupied territory by then and they wanted to be on Ukrainian territory, they wanted to go home.”The next day, the three left Vovchansk. Before Kateryna left, she deleted all the text messages between her and her sister — in case Russian soldiers searched her phone, as they typically did.
“I would text them and they would go and read it to her,” Salashnik said. “And she would say something and they would write it down for me and go out to find the mobile connection to pass it.” Salashnik’s daughter was connected to Kholodov’s organization, which is affiliated with the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, through another volunteer group. They agreed to transport Sophia, but it was complicated, as most things are in Ukraine now. There are fuel shortages, unpredictable checkpoints and the risk of shelling to contend with.
In many cases, the priests can’t deliver the rites because of the fighting and shelling, so they seek opportunities whenever they can find them. A youthful Ukrainian Orthodox priest in a black cassock, a black clerical headdress, and a white and gold brocaded vestment stood in front of the coffin. In his left hand, he carried an incense burner suspended from chains, from which rose sweetly scented puffs of smoke.
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