A dramatic piece of Ukrainian art inspired by the current Russian-Ukrainian War was donated to Conroe’s Honor Cafe restaurant and will soon be displayed at the military themed cafe.
J.R. McDonald, of Lake Conroe’s Bentwater neighborhood, bought the piece that depicts a sunken Russian war ship in August at a Ukrainian Independence Day celebration and fundraiser in Houston.
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“When I saw the piece was a part of the auction, I knew that was for me and I was going home with it,” McDonald said.
Graphic artist Dmytro Krishovsky, a resident of Kyiv, Ukraine, created the drawing in 2022.
Symbol of Snake Island campaign
The art was commissioned by Ukrainian border guard Roman Hrybov who was a part of the conflict on Snake Island in spring 2022.
According to documentation with the drawing, on Feb. 24, 2022, Russian troops attacked Snake Island in the Black Sea and captured the island.
Later in April, those on board the Russian ship, named Moskva, demanded the surrender of Ukrainian forces.
It was thought that the 13 border guards were imprisoned. The next day military audio surfaced that when Russian forces demanded the guards’ surrender, Hrybov is credited with the response “To the Russian warship: go f— yourself.”
The Moskva sunk April 14, the island was again under Ukrainian control and the phrase became a battle cry among Ukrainians.
Hrybov was decorated by the Ukrainian government and met with Krishovsky to commission the drawing. It depicts the sunken ship with a likeness of the Kremlin at the top of the ship.
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It is signed by Krishovsky, Hrybov, Major General Ihor Taburets and Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny. It also has the famous battle phrase.
McDonald is friends with Tarasiuk Vitalii, General Consule of Ukraine in Houston. Vitali and his wife invited McDonald to the Ukrainian Independence Day celebration Aug. 24 at Pokrova Ukrainian Catholic Church in Houston.
The drawing is the original artwork and McDonald said he could have displayed it in his home or office.
“This is something that needs to be seen beyond my home or office,” he said. “To me it’s important and it’s a message.”
Display planned with other war artifacts
He talked with Honor Cafe owner Chris Sadler about putting it on display. The drawing will be displayed along with several other artifacts from Ukraine and documentation and an explanation of the piece.
McDonald said the Houston region has been very supportive of the Ukrainian people.
“These are our friends an allies. Like any good neighbor you help your friends and allies. That’s what you do,” McDonald said.
Sadler said they will create an area in the main dining room where the artwork and items can be displayed.
“I think it’s amazing that this came out of Ukraine and these things were brought here to support the war effort in Ukraine,” Sadler said.
Honor Cafe is at 103 N. Thompson Street in downtown Conroe. The cafe has a variety of military memorabilia related to various wars and conflicts donated by community members. Large shadow boxes also pay tribute to the area’s fallen soldiers.
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