Ukrainian author Victoria Amelina’s posthumous book will document war crimes since the Russian invasion

NEW YORK — A posthumous book by Victoria Amelina, the Ukrainian author killed last year during a Russian missile attackit will be published in February, on the third anniversary of the war.

“Looking at Women Looking at War: A Diary of War and Justice,” which is based on Amelina’s interviews with 11 women documenting war crimes since the Russian invasion, was left unfinished. Her husband, Oleksandr Amelin, was among those who helped edit and complete the book, which will include a foreword by Margaret Atwood.

“A powerful testament to the courage and determination of women in war, the book follows the paths of women journalists, writers, human rights defenders, lawyers and volunteers who document war crimes in Ukraine while the war is still ongoing,” according to St. .Martin’s Press, which announced the project on Monday, exactly one year since Amelina’s death.

“It is also a personal war diary that chronicles the author’s transformation from novelist and mother to war crimes researcher.”

Amelina, 37 years old, was the author of two novels and a children’s book. She traveled to areas liberated from the Russians and recorded testimonies from survivors. At the time of Amelina’s death, Columbia University granted her a residency in Paris that would allow her to work on her book. Interviewees included Oleksandra Matviichuk, a human rights lawyer and 2022 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Amelina was a member of PEN International, a literary and free expression organization.

“This book is the voice of Ukraine fighting for its freedom and its future,” said Tetyana Teren, executive director of PEN Ukraine, in a statement. “This book is the voice of a writer who, at the most difficult time for her country, chose the role of testifying about Russian war crimes and seeking punishment for the perpetrators.”