Defenders of Sevastopol

The painting depicts Soviet soldiers and sailors who remained to defend Crimea during the Second World War. These are sailors, marines, and infantrymen abandoned by their command yet unwilling to surrender to the enemy. They continued to fight to the last drop of blood, fully aware of the inevitability of their fate, but steadfast in their duty and their oath.

The figures sit among the fragments of a classical building reminiscent of an ancient theater. Around them lie the ruins of architecture whose outlines echo the memory of an ancient city and a land once mentioned in biblical narratives. This sacred soil became drenched in the blood of thousands and transformed into an altar of sacrifice and courage.

The defense of Sevastopol was one of the most tragic and heroic chapters of the Great Patriotic War. From 1941 to 1942 the city endured months of siege, heavy bombardments, artillery fire, and repeated assaults. The losses were immense: tens of thousands of soldiers gave their lives, yet their resilience entered history as a symbol of unbreakable resistance.

The defenders in the painting are shown as men awaiting death but refusing to bow their heads. They sit on the ruins not only of stone but of an entire era, on the shattered remains of classical culture and history, holding the last frontier between life and death. Their silent resolve transforms tragedy into heroism and death into eternal memory.