In early 2024, a new song was released, called Де Ти … two words meaning Where Are You? in Ukrainian translation. The song was written in response to Russia’s bombing of the Mariupol Drama Theatre on March 16, 2022. The building was used as an air raid shelter during the siege of Mariupol, sheltering a large number of civilians.
«ДЕТИ» is also one word in russian translation, which means children. The stage crew of the theater had painted ДЕТИ in Russian in front of the building in letters large enough to be seen from the air, as a warning to avoid bombing it. Russia bombed it anyway. An estimated 600 people, many of them mothers and children, were slaughtered in this brazen and horrific war crime.
The song Де Ти was written by Dr. Leo Wolansky, professor and chair of Diagnostic Imaging and Therapeutics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, and first past-president of the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America. He is also a semi-professional musician and is joined in the recording by his two sons Leo and Ivan, and good friend Olya Fryz.
The song Де Ти became the inspiration for the De-Ty Charities project, which is raising awareness for the many thousands of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia, as well as funds to help them and to protect the 6 million children in Ukraine.
Anton Lysenko in Victoria spoke with Steve Ostafichuk the co-founder of the project, on the international day of the child. He posted the video on the Nash Holos YouTube channel (here).
The song and Anton’s interview initially aired on Nash Holos Ukrainian Roots Radio on June 08, 2024 here) and was rebroadcast on the Nanaimo edition of the show (here).
