Kalik Larisa

About

Larisa Kalik, born in 1998 in Tiraspol, quickly distinguished herself as a courageous activist and journalist. At just 21 years old, she published the book "The Year of Youth," a documentary based on the anonymous testimonies of 12 soldiers from the Transnistrian army, revealing inhumane conditions, corruption, violence, and human rights abuses. Supported by the Czech NGO People in Need, the volume garnered positive reactions among young people and affected families, but inevitably drew the attention of the authorities, who initiated a criminal case against her for extremism, forcing her to flee to Kyiv in 2020. Settled in Ukraine, where she always felt at home due to her family roots, Larisa became a war photojournalist, tenaciously documenting the suffering caused by the 2022 Russian invasion. She reported from the eastern front, in areas such as Avdiivka, Izium, and Donbas, accompanying volunteers and military medics, capturing not only the destruction but also the human moments of the soldiers – from pizza in the trenches to medical care under bombardment. Her works, published on platforms like Scena9, have won awards, including at the Superscrieri Gala, and her 2024 exhibition FRONT showcased poignant images of Ukrainian heroism. Larisa's personal life is marked by separation from her family – her mother, two sisters, and niece who remained in Tiraspol, whom she rarely sees in Chisinau – and by the pain of losing friends on the front lines, such as Artur. Nevertheless, she remains anchored in her mission, declaring that journalism is "one of the most important weapons against Russia." Today, at 28 years old, she lives in Lviv or Kyiv, adapted to air raid sirens and explosions, but guided by a deep conviction: "I am not afraid of explosions, but I am afraid of hurting someone with an inappropriate photograph."