Ukrainians grapple with grit and grief as war with Russia enters new phase

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Paintbrush in hand, Anastasiya Sereda is working on a painting of a chubby-faced panda in the uniform of a Ukrainian soldier.

Propped on her easel is the reason why – a photo of her boyfriend Bohdan, a burly serviceman with a gentle smile.

“He looks like a panda,” Sereda said in explanation, alternately laughing and choking with tears as she talked about her partner, who was killed almost a year ago on the front line in eastern Ukraine. Taking part in an art class for women bereaved by war, she’s trying to capture her boyfriend’s humor and heroism, and channel her roiling emotions onto canvas.