Illustrations for Rajantakaiset: matkapäiväkirja nyky-Venäjältä,
a documentary travel diary by journalist Anna Jarovaja
A Travel Diary from Contemporary Russia
In May 2025, Anna Jarovaja (journalist from Russia, now lives in Finland) travelled with Kerttu Matinpuro from Joensuu through Kirkenes and Murmansk to St Petersburg and back, exploring everyday life on the other side of the Finnish-Russian border, which had been closed for more than two years. Through encounters and conversations in villages, cities, streets, cafés and private homes, the book offers a close look at contemporary Russia, its people, and the relationship between citizens and the state. Rauhanpuolustajat
I created the illustrations for the book, developing a visual layer alongside its documentary narrative.
Text: Anna Jarovaja Translation & editing: Kerttu Matinpuro Illustration: Lilya Matveeva Publishers: Rosebud & Suomen Rauhanpuolustajat Supported by: Kone Foundation in 2025
Finland, 2026
