Behind every photo that showed the world the reality of Mariupol during the 2022 invasion was a person who called that city home. Viktor Dedov was one of them.

A veteran cameraman for Sigma TV, Viktor spent years capturing the life of his city. In February 2022, he chose to stay, documenting the unfolding tragedy even as the sirens became constant and the city was surrounded by Russian forces. Tragically, on March 11, 2022, Viktor was killed when his family’s apartment was struck during the most intense shelling of his neighborhood.

We want to share a very special thank you to Natalia Dubchak (Dedova), Viktor’s widow, for sending us these pictures and allowing us to share them with the world. This is an incredible opportunity for all of us to keep the memory of Mariupol alive and honor Viktor’s legacy.