Let's clean up the Russian garbage. Graphics from “Zla Mavka” telegram channel.

Find Part One of this story here and Part Two here!

In addition to community support, humour — often dark — helps the Mavkas carry on with their activities. While stories about their actions may seem amusing in hindsight, they can involve real risks for the participants at the time. Mavka One recalls a girl who went to hang up leaflets in Crimea. She found a spot near a fence to pull them out discreetly, but then she encountered someone else.

“Just as she pulled them out, an old man appeared behind her. She hid the leaflets and waited for him to pass. But instead, he approached her and said, ‘I see, salt!’ [slang for drugs in Ukrainian — ed.). At first, she thought he suspected she was looking for something hidden, but she quickly realised it was serious. He grabbed her — she barely managed to hide the leaflets — and dragged her towards a house, saying he was going to interrogate her about where she bought drugs. The girl managed to escape, and everything ended well. But there was both laughter and danger involved. The old man could have called the police, and they would have found our leaflets, but thankfully, that didn’t happen.”

\"Let's clean up the Russian garbage.\" Photo source: “Zla Mavka” telegram channel.

Even though the Mavkas carefully prepare for each outing, unexpected situations still arise. It’s a relief when a nearby stranger shares pro-Ukrainian views, as happened with Mavka One.

“The scariest moment [I’ve had] so far was burning Russian flags. I didn’t want to do it in a yard; I wanted to do it right there, where the occupiers could see it, not just on Telegram. When it works out, it’s an unmatched feeling! Sometimes, I have to return to the same spot five times to get it done because something gets in the way. But one situation caught me off guard… During the process, a woman appeared. She saw me, and I saw her; we both just stood there, shocked, staring at each other. Then she smiled and said, ‘Hurry up; there’s a patrol car nearby. You better go down Street X.’ I was stunned but quickly ran off with a smile — they’re OUR people!”

Support from the outside world also boosts the women’s determination, Mavka Three shares. “When foreign journalists reach out to us, we feel like we’re doing something right. Not long ago, I came across a post by a Ukrainian soldier who noticed our work and wrote a thank-you note… It brought me to tears… We’re the ones who are grateful! We will do everything we can as long as it makes a difference…”

Everyday rituals and small comforts also offer solace to the Mavkas. For Mavka Three, it’s about planning and tidying up. Mavka Two finds comfort in items that remind her of life before the full-scale war. Mavka One sometimes feels like her connection to a peaceful life is lost, but she holds on to a special talisman that inspires her.

“This is a photo of my grandfather… He’s from Donechchyna, wearing traditional embroidered clothing, handsome and intelligent… When I feel drained, I imagine what he would say about all of this… And then, when I picture it, I get up and do what needs to be done.”

Overall, Ukrainian culture and symbols help the activists maintain morale, even though preserving traditions in occupied conditions is incredibly challenging. The Mavkas mention that they only practise these traditions in family settings, never in public. For Easter, they decorated pysanky, and in winter, they celebrated St. Nicholas Day and Christmas. They do this quietly, as open resistance has disappeared in the occupied territories, unlike in the early days of the Russian invasion. The occupiers suppress any acts of resistance. However, Mavka Two points out that certain habits among people still persist.

Pysanky: Traditional Ukrainian Easter eggs decorated with intricate designs using a wax-resist technique.

“I saw people in the hospital speaking to the staff in Ukrainian. They didn’t even realise they shouldn’t be doing that since it’s their mother tongue. You should have seen how irritated the doctors from Russia were. They even threatened those people. So, we experienced a gentle Ukrainisation, and now we’re facing forced Russification.”

Mavka's money with the inscriptions \"Russian banks have no place here.\" (top) \"Crimea is Ukraine.\" (bottom). Photo source: “Zla Mavka” telegram channel.

The Russian occupiers are generally enraged by any reference to Ukrainian culture. The Mavkas note that the Russians have come to impose their ways of life while erasing local customs and laws. This includes the letters “ї” and “є” (unique Ukrainian letters absent in the Russian Cyrillic alphabet – ed.), which frankly frighten the invaders, as well as the overall Ukrainian history and identity. Zla Mavka serves as a reminder to the Russians that they are merely temporary visitors and that they will never fully suppress the Ukrainian spirit.

“You have more power in your hands than you think,” Mavka One emphasises. “You realise that every action you take matters; it’s inspiring. Ukrainians are amazing, really! And Ukrainian women are cooler than Marvel superheroes.”

In their struggle, the Mavkas have seen not only the strengths of Ukrainians but also their striking differences from the Russians. Mavka Three points out that Ukrainians don’t need what is foreign, only what is their own. Mavka One sees no similarities between the two nations.

“It’s not that we are brothers; we aren’t even distant relatives. They lack innate culture, taste, critical thinking, and internal freedom. They have no sense of self, dignity, or will – and so much more. They have no truth.”

Mavka Two adds that what sets Ukrainians apart is their sense of internal freedom.

“It’s an integral part of us. [Russians] don’t grasp that they can change things; they follow like sheep to the slaughter. We have always been accustomed to changing the hetman when we don’t like them.”

Hetman: A historical title for a supreme leader in Ukraine, originally referring to the commander of the Kozak army and later the head of the Ukrainian Kozak state that existed in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Zla Mavka continues its efforts in the occupied territories against all odds, vowing to do so until de-occupation. Specifically, the women aim to show the world that Ukrainian resistance exists and that people in the occupied territories are not welcoming Russia and refuse to live under its rule.

“We’re trying to tell the world what is really happening here, to speak about Russia’s crimes. We publish diaries from the occupied territories so that the world knows the truth — that we continue to fight for justice here and ask them to keep fighting for us.”

‘Keep fighting — you are sure to win! God helps you in your fight! For fame and freedom march with you, And right is on your side!’ (English translation by John Weir). Photo source: “Zla Mavka” telegram channel.

The Mavkas urge people to remember that people living under occupation want to return to Ukraine and call on them to have faith in their capacity to make this happen. They encourage other underground groups and movements to stay strong, be cautious, and believe in Ukraine’s victory.

“The best advice we received long ago was, ‘Fight and you will prevail,’” says Mavka One. “Each person chooses their path, doing what they can and what they believe is necessary. Most importantly, we all share one goal — Ukraine!”

Mavka Two emphasises that the scariest thing is living under occupation, so Ukrainians must keep going. “Let those Russian monsters see every day that they can’t break us and that we will never be Russians.”

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The 1017th day of a ten-year invasion that has been going on for centuries.

One day closer to victory.

🇺🇦 HEROIAM SLAVA! 🇺🇦