An image depicting a famous 19th-century painting of Cossacks, with current Ukrainian soldiers standing in for the warriors, has struck a chord as Kyiv battles to assert its identity.The New York Times reports that a photograph depicting current Ukrainian soldiers standing in for 19th-century Cossacks in a famous painting has resonated with the country’s struggle to assert its identity. The image, taken by French photographer Émeric Lhuisset, shows soldiers gathered around a makeshift table, playing cards and scrolling through their phones. Unlike other images from the Ukrainian front, there is no violence or suffering depicted. The photograph has been widely shared and praised by government officials, who displayed it in an exhibition center in Kyiv. The photograph reimagines a painting by Illia Repin, a Ukrainian-born artist who worked in Russia, and has been claimed by both countries as part of their heritage. This cultural battle between Russia and Ukraine has intensified since Russia’s invasion in 2014, with Ukrainians seeking to reclaim and assert their own identity.
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