The God of war

FRED SKULTHORP explores the rise of religiosity and mysticism among those fighting on both sides of the conflict in Ukraine

“I THOUGHT IT HAD SAVED MY LIFE,” said Sergey Shastak, referring to a sunflower field that offered a camouflaged lifeline back to the Ukrainian lines. Climbing through the drooping stalks, he soon discovered he was in a minefield. To his left, a unit of Ukrainian troops were assaulting the village of Makiivka. Mortars began to fall. No time to look out for mines. Running, amid strafing bullets and exploding metal he felt light of foot as he made his break for safety. A strange sense, that this time, having come so far, he was not going to die. Why? “I don’t know, man. I felt, in that moment, that someone else was in control of my body.” Who? “This I cannot explain. You have to start thinking about things like…

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The Critic (Digital) - 1 Issue, August - September 2023

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