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In Pictures: Death fans flames of Ukraine war

The killing of Lena Ott last week has enflamed her community, forcing some to think about joining separatist fight.

Aleksander Ott, Lena’s husband, stood by as friends from the village of Starovarvarivka dug a grave for his wife. Wavering between silence and bouts of breathless anger, he accused the Ukrainian army of the killing.

By John Wendle

Published On 25 May 2014

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Starovarvarivka, Ukraine – Grief and incense filled the air. Sobs cut the hot sunshine. A hymn sung by village women scattered throughout the group of friends, family and neighbours of the Ott family seemed to pierce and envelop the gathering – sharply picking out each person and making each disappear back into the whole.

Lena Ott was killed by men wearing unmarked uniforms as she lay on the ground next to her son, after the car they had been travelling in was shot up near the strife-ridden towns of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in southeast Ukraine.

From the courtyard of her house where the village had gathered, the small home in which she had been born could be seen. Further along, through the thick green grass of the village of Starovarvarivka, across a stream and up a hill through a thicket, the brightly coloured cemetery where her son was buried stood watch next to an empty field.

From that courtyard in mourning, full of people – friends, family and neighbours – Lena’s whole world seemed to be encompassed.

Her killing last week, though only one of many in this dirty, little quasi-war, encompassed more than that. It showed how a group of relatively peaceful farmers, labourers, and shepherds living in a bucolic and forgotten corner of Ukraine could be dragged into the violence.

Whether the strength of their community can withstand the pull of revenge remains far from certain. With the killing of 11 Ukrainian soldiers at a checkpoint this week by separatists, tensions seem to be set to continue growing.

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Lena and her son Pavel were driving this red Niva on the edge of a field at dusk when it was torn apart by large caliber heavy machineguns mounted on an armoured personnel carrier.
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Lena Ott’s body was presided over by a village priest in the small home she shared with Pavel and Aleksander, before being taken up to the cemetery. A small choir of elderly women sang and close family wept.
Dozens of villagers attended the ceremony and accompanied the body through the oldest part of the village of Starovarvarivka, up to the cemetery. The feeling amongst the people was in agreement with Aleksander - that the Ukrainian army was at fault.
As Lena’s body was loaded in an old truck and driven to the cemetery, her niece was overcome by grief and comforted by her husband. The depth of angst was felt by all - with the men expressing anger at the situation reigning in the country at the moment.
Village women walk through the long grass of the Ukrainian countryside up to a cemetery overlooking Starovarvarivka. They blamed Putin and the West for (***)grinding(***) the people between the two sides.
A neighbour who helped dig the grave carries the lid of Lena’s coffin. Working as a forester in the area, he has come face to face with Ukrainian army bases set up in the surrounding countryside.
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Some villagers, angered over the killing and the ham-fisted clearance operation carried out by the Ukrainian army, have said they would join the separatists if they had weapons.
The danger is that this killing will inflame latent hatreds and anger - which could eventually translate into violent action if tensions continue. 
The attack by heavily armed separatists on a Ukrainian army checkpoint that left at least 11 soldiers dead on Thursday, will only heighten tensions. 
As violence continues to engulf the countryside around the city of Donetsk, some in the village have said they will stay put, farm their small pieces of land and take care of their families.
In the end, Lena Ott’s killing may do nothing more than break the hearts of her family and the village. If that happens, the Ukrainian army and the separatists will have gotten off lightly - and the strength of this community will be proven.
People are angry and predicting how they will react - by joining the separatists or staying home - is nearly impossible. But the thousands of small choices that people are making now across the countryside will shape how this conflict plays out.