Portraits by Oksana Kami. Mariya Berlinska/Chicago, IL, 2024

It was an honor photographing Maria Berlinska , who is a Ukrainian military volunteer and women’s rights advocate. She is a strong inspiring woman, who definitely knows her mission. She is wise, deep and brave. She is gorgeous, yet she is a true warrior. She was a participant in the Revolution of Dignity in February 2014 and subsequently volunteered for the War in Donbas as an aerial reconnaissance drone operator. Returning from the front, she founded a free school to train other Ukrainian military volunteers in aerial reconnaissance. Beginning in 2015, Maria partnered with other female volunteer soldiers to champion women’s rights and integration into the Ukrainian Armed Forces. She coordinated the Invisible Battalion series. She is a co-founder of the Women’s Veteran Movement non-governmental organization, a senior advisor for a program to reintegrate veterans into society, and recipient of multiple awards. Her goal is victory for Ukraine! If you’d like to help her, Ukrainian defenders and the entire democratic world please DONATE https://dignitas.fund/

Images are licensed via CC BY 4.0