Map of Memories
The world watches the war in Ukraine and Russian politics, but barely notices a country trapped in an authoritarian deadlock – under constant pressure from Moscow on one side and 30 years of rule by Lukashenko on the other.
The fallout from the 2020 fraudulent elections and crushed democratic movement in Belarus still unfolds – repression continues, exiles grow, and former political prisoners face new uncertainty. My project documents this ongoing aftermath, tracing displacement, resistance, and a nation in limbo. I am not just documenting this story; I am living it.
Through portraits and daily life, my work explores exile, identity, and the struggle to hold onto home. It is not just documentation; it is an attempt to answer the question of what it means to be Belarusian when the homeland has become more of a memory than a place. The Belarusian experience shows and warns that repression, emigration, and the disappearance of civil society are not just a national tragedy but part of the global struggle for democracy in a world where authoritarianism is rising again.
Pasha Kritchko
Pasha Kritchko (born in 1987) is a former civil engineer and wedding photographer from Belarus who turned to photojournalism during the 2020 presidential election and mass protests, using his camera to document state violence and human rights abuses following the rigged vote.
His current work focuses on the ongoing Belarusian crisis that began in 2020, including the stories of Belarusian volunteer fighters in Ukraine and the struggles of refugees forced to flee the country. Through his photography, Pasha aims to shed light on these issues and highlight the challenges Belarusians face both at home and in exile.