34 entries from hell: Diary of a woman killed in Mariupol published in Ukraine

42-year-old Kateryna Savenko kept notes in basements and under shelling. She sustained severe injuries, lost her husband, but managed to ask her daughter: "Save my diary."

В українських книгарнях з’явився "Щоденник Катерини Савенко": це записи мешканки Маріуполя про облогу міста

13 July, 15:56

The documentary publication "Kateryna Savenko's Diary" has been released in Ukraine. These are personal records of a 42-year-old Mariupol resident, which she kept in real-time during the Russian siege in February and March 2022.

Kateryna Savenko, who worked at a metallurgical plant, began keeping records on February 24, 2022. In 34 entries, she documented the experiences of her family, neighbors, and the entire city: constant shelling, life in basements, searches for water and food, and loss of communication. At the same time, the text also preserves moments of everyday care and memories of peaceful life.

"Mom wanted the world to know what was really happening in Mariupol until the very end. She kept these records amidst shelling, fear, and uncertainty... For our family, this book is an opportunity to fulfill her request and ensure her voice continues to be heard," said the author's daughter, Nadiia Savenko.

Kateryna started keeping records in Russian, but later switched to Ukrainian. For the printed edition, the entire text was translated into Ukrainian.

The author's tragic fate

The Savenko family's story ended tragically:

On March 29, 2022, Kateryna's husband, Vitaliy, was killed during shelling. The woman herself sustained severe injuries. With her remaining hand, she wrote a plea to her daughter on her phone to save her diary.

On April 2, a fire broke out in the hospital where she was taken due to shelling. The woman managed to escape the flames.

On April 4, 2022, Kateryna died in her mother's arms in the basement of the house.

The family managed to preserve these records and handed them over to the "Voices of Peace" Museum. In 2024, the diary was made public online, and its full printed version was released on July 6, 2026.

International resonance and work on the book

Kateryna Savenko's experience has already attracted global attention. The project was covered by the British publication The Sun, and Polish Radio released a four-part podcast featuring readings of excerpts from the diary. The organizers aim to publish the book abroad so that it becomes a global testimony of the war, much like Anne Frank's diary in its time.

A team of historians, human rights defenders, and editors worked on the publication. The forewords to the book were written by:

Oleksandra Matviichuk – human rights defender, Nobel Peace Prize laureate 2022;

Anton Drobovych – former head of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance.

The historical editor was Yevhen Monastyrsky, a PhD student at Harvard University and lecturer at KSE, and the illustrations were created by Anton Lohov.

We remind you that the publication is already available on the website of the publishing house IRIO, as well as in the "Bookstore Ye", Readeat, TsUM, Yakaboo, MEGOGO Books, and other partner bookstores.