FEBRUARY 4, 1970 — MARCH 11, 2022
52 YEARS, CAMERAMAN
Viktor Diedov — senior camera operator of the Mariupol-based television channel «Sigma TV». He carried on working, even after the Russian invasion began, up until the city was under siege. Although Mariupol is still on the map, it is physically destroyed. Same as the life of Viktor and thousands of other residents.
Viktor and his wife, Natalia, were a true media family. He was a cameraman. She was a journalist. Their office romance began back in 2000, with both working for the channel. The couple thought they had it all: they were in love, they had a baby, they had jobs, they loved the city they lived in, they had a future. They had been together for 22 years. They had been.
From day one, the Russian army ruthlessly bombed Mariupol. The shells were coming from everywhere: air, land and sea. The infernal day of March 11 had come for the Diedov family. They were home at the time. They were making plans to show the city of Lviv to their son again. «Dear boy, we will get there!» — said Viktor on the day.
Around midday, the ominous silence filled the air. Then, two mortar shells hitting the apartment. One hit the bedroom, with Natalia inside. The concrete shattered, rubble falling on top of her; the lungs were gasping for air mixed with concrete dust, the ears were pumping with blood. The second shell hit the kitchen; Viktor was there. He was conscious for a minute. «I got no light», he said in the middle of the day, his last words. Rupture of carotid artery. Natalia saw Viktor in the corridor, and immediately understood that he had died.
Forced to leave her bloodied husband under the debris, Natalia managed to flee the scene. For the next several days, she was hoping that Viktor would come and join her with their son. Their house was shelled again a few days later. It had been on hellish fire for two days straight. Until it finally turned to ashes. In one of the interviews, Natalia said that since March 11, she has got no city, no husband, no job, and, feels like, no future.
His friends said that Viktor was a heaven-sent cameraman: his eye would see things others could not. One could watch his footage with the sound off, with narration just naturally coming to mind. Viktor would passionately talk about his work and share his wisdom.
The world he was carrying inside was reflected in his photos. On the Constitution Day of Ukraine, June 28, Ukrainian House held a photo exhibition by Viktor Diedov and press-secretary of «Azov» regiment, Dmytro Kozatskyi, who came out of captivity. Their images depict the immensely beautiful and peaceful Mariupol, juxtaposed with horrific photographs from the heroic defense of the «Azovstal» plant.
On March 31, 2022, Viktor was buried as an unknown person. Natalia was looking for a husband for 4 months. The grave was found in August. The wife installed a cross, a photo and a plaque.
