Vera Lytovchenko's city is under siege. Theaters are dark and the streets are under constant threat of shelling from Russian missiles. So, the Kharkiv City Opera soloist does what she knows best: putting on a show.
The haunting sound of a violin fills a bomb shelter in Ukraine, a symbol of hope and resistance in times where those symbols are what keep people going.
Vera Lytovchenko's city is under siege. Theaters are dark and the streets are under constant threat of shelling from Russian missiles. So, the Kharkiv City Opera soloist does what she knows best: putting on a show.
After putting on an evening gown, Lytovchenko grabs her violin and plays underground.
"I play in the cellar," she said. "I play for my friends and for people I don't know.
"I can't take weapon, I can't talk to President [Volodymyr Zelenskyy], I can just wear a dress and play violin," she continued. "This is the only thing I can do."
The violin has become an instrument of resistance in Ukraine, boosting the spirits of a besieged people who love classical music. It's also become a symbol of unity with those around the world in support of the Ukrainian people.
Ninety-four violists from Ukraine and around the world joined together over video to play a Ukrainian folk song in perfect harmony. It was put together by British violinist Kerenza Peacock.
In Odessa, citizens are doing what they can to protect their beloved National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet, an opera house built in 1887. The oldest theatre in Odessa, the luxurious audience hall survived a previous invasion during World War II.
Barricades and anti-tank hedgehogs have been erected around it and as the people of Odessa do all they can to keep it from falling, they also raise their voices, and violins, in defiance.
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