Festhalten (Ausland 2019, von Muse Mohammed) - Swiss Press Award

Valerii brought as much as he could from his home when the battlefront reached his hometown of Dokuchaevsk including his pet dogs. “Sometimes we would go hungry just so that we can feed them,” says Valerii. Two of his dogs, Lyalya and Dusya follow him around the yard, apparently listening to his every word. “They feel my emotions. When I leave, they wait for me at the gates. They are my real friends. They are part of my family.” The canine family continues to grow. Lyalya’s son, Khitri was born in Novyi Donbas. A fourth dog, Richard, was dumped anonymously one at their home one day. “He was homeless, like we were once. So how could we leave him alone?”