Reservists of the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces (mostly from the 130th battalion and a few from other units) participate in the counterinsurgency military exercise on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine on December 4, 2021.
Reservists of the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces (mostly from the 130th battalion and a few from other units) walk to the location for the military exercises on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine on December 4, 2021.
A soldier sits on the bed at the Severodonetsk Military Hospital in Severodonetsk, Luhansk region, Ukraine on April 16, 2021. This military hospital treat soldiers with injuries from the frontline as well as sodiers who have Covid. This photo was taken on the press-tour for journalists organized by the Ministry of Culture together with the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.
A soldier sits at the frontline position in Shchastia, Luhansk region, Ukraine on April 16, 2021. Shchastia is located on the government-controlled territory of Ukraine. This photo was taken on the press-tour for journalists organized by the Ministry of Culture together with the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.
A memory wall with portraits of those killed during the war in eastern Ukraine that has been going on since 2014 in Kyiv, Ukraine on November 30, 2021.
Young man conscripted to the military service in the regular army goes through the medical check at the Kyiv city recruiting center and assembly point in Kyiv, Ukraine on December 1, 2021.
Young men conscripted to the military service rest in the barracks, where they spend a few weeks before being sent to different military units to join the army service at the Kyiv city recruiting center and assembly point in Kyiv, Ukraine on December 1, 2021.
Young men conscripted to the military service line up in the barracks, where they spend a few weeks before being sent to different military units to join the army service at the Kyiv city recruiting center and assembly point in Kyiv, Ukraine on December 1, 2021.
Students of the Luhansk Regional Military Lyceum attend the class in Kreminna, Luhansk region, Ukraine on April 16, 2021. This lyceum was relocated from Luhansk city where it was situated before the war. This photo was taken on the press-tour for journalists organized by the Ministry of Culture together with the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.
Ihor Zolotar, 36, poses for a portrait with his AK-74 rifle in his kitchen on Saturday, December 11, 2021 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Ihor, head of business development in his civil life, is a member of the 130th battalion of the Kyiv Territorial Defense and he keeps multiple rifles at home.
Yaroslav Mudryk poses for a portrait with his AR-15 rifle in his kitchen on Sunday, December 12, 2021 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Yaroslav, sales manageer in his civil life, is a platoon sergeant major of the 130th territorial defense battalion
Maryana Zhahlo, 52, poses for a portrait with her Z-15 rifle at home in Kyiv, Ukraine on January 23, 2022. Maryana, a mother of two, and marketing analyst, joined the 130th territorial defense battalion and last spring when there was a threat of a full-scale Russian invasion bought the rifle and attended the sniper school course.
Reservists of the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces (mostly from the 130th battalion and a few from other units) participate in the military training on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine on December 4, 2021.
Service members of the Ukrainian armed forces Mykola, 23, left and Oleksandr, 31, take a break smoking at the frontline position outside of the city of Avdiivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine on April 17, 2021
Trainees of the NGO Ukrainian Legion pretends practice medical aid and evacuation on the imaginary battle field during the simulation exercise on tactical medicine on Sunday, December 12, 2021 in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Oleksiy Bida, 45, reservist of the 130th battalion of the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces, trains in Kyiv, Ukraine on January 22, 2022.
Anastasiia Biloshytska, 25, left, trainee of the NGO Ukrainian Legion, and a waitress in her regular lige, practices medical aid and evacuation on the imaginary battle field during the simulation exercise on tactical medicine on Sunday, December 12, 2021 in Kyiv, Ukraine.
A couple Sofia Chygyryn, 19, and Vadym Beilakh, 19, pose for a portrait during the territorial defense training in Kyiv, Ukraine on February 5, 2022. Sofia, student in business psychology, and Vadym, student in management, both also work on the side, came to the training for the first time in order to prepare while the situation is still peaceful. They said “Prepare for the worse, believe in the best”. They said they are lucky that they didn’t see people in the military uniforms 8 years ago. They packed emergency bag few days ago and they worry most to lose somene. They added that "every citizen is responsible for the situation and for his family".
Cadets of the Odesa National Maritime Academy stand during the ceremony of raising a Ukrainian flag on the newly-created Day of Unity, announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a response to a rumored Russian invasion date, in Odesa, Odesa region, Ukraine on February 16, 2022.
Trainees of the NGO Ukrainian Legion pretends practice medical aid and evacuation on the imaginary battle field during the simulation exercise on tactical medicine on Sunday, December 12, 2021 in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Reservist of the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces (most are from the 130th battalion and a few from other units) participate in the counterinsurgency military exercise on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine on December 4, 2021.
Students of the Odesa Professional Lyceum of Maritime Transport hold Ukrainian flags before the march dedicated to the newly-created Day of Unity, announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a response to a rumored at that time Russian full-scale invasion date, in Odesa, Odesa region, Ukraine on February 16, 2022.
Volodymyr, 55, a worker of the State Agency of Automobile Roads of Ukraine takes down the road sign to the village Pysarivka on the road to Kalynivka, Vinnytsia region, Ukraine on February 26, 2022. Today State Agency of Automobile Roads of Ukraine asked all to dismantle road signs on all roads of the country, as the enemy has almost no connection, they do not know the terrain.
Reservists of the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces (mostly from the 130th battalion and a few from other units) participate in the counterinsurgency military exercise on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine on December 4, 2021.
Teachers at School Number 5 make dumplings with meat to feed soldiers, volunteers, and displaced people in Vinnytsia, Ukraine on March 1, 2022. Around 35 people, many of them teachers and their families, are currently living at the school because it has a basement bomb shelter.
Participants of the civil-defense training train with wooden makeshift weapon in Kyiv, Ukraine on February 6, 2022.
A parrot sits in the cage in the Ukrainian restaurant Baczewski in Lviv, Ukraine on March 9, 2022.
Kateryna, 16, plays with Dominika, 3, at the temporary shelter organized at the Lviv Regional Academic Puppet Theater in Lviv, Ukraine on March 11, 2022. Kateryna left Kryvyi Rih with her older sister and her mom and staying in this shelter temporarily before going to Romania.
People on the train at the Lviv train station 3in Lviv, Ukraine on March 14, 2022.
Fellow soldiers carry in the coffin containing the body of Taras Diduh killed on February 26 in a war launched by Russia during the funeral ceremony held at the Church of the Most Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Lviv, Ukraine on March 11, 2022.
Myroslava Dudar receives a hug from a fellow mourner after the burial of her son Viktor Dudar, who was killed on March 2 in the war launched by Russia, at Lychakiv Cemetery in Lviv, Ukraine on March 8, 2022. Fellow soldier Ivan Koverznev was burried at the same time.
Family members and friends bring flowers to the new grave of Taras Diduh killed on February 26 in a war launched by Russia in Lviv, Ukraine on March 11, 2022.
Sand bags protect the first floor of the Lviv State Regional Clinical Perinatal Center in Lviv, Ukraine on March 14, 2022. Russia launched a full scale war on Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
Mykhailo Hiraldo-Ramires, 38, combat engineer within the territorial defense and lawyer in his civil life, left, shows the dummies of the anti-tank mines as part of the training of the NGO Ukrainian Legion on Sunday, December 12, 2021 in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Olena Kuzmenkova, 32, sits on her bed in the Lviv State Regional Clinical Perinatal Center a day after giving birth to her first son Danylo, in Lviv, Ukraine. in Lviv, Ukraine on March 14, 2022. Olena is from Shchaslyve, Kyiv region, and fled her home to Lviv due to the war and danger.
She wasn’t sure that the hospital would be working, and her labor started at night, she would need to be accompanied by the territorial defense to the maternity ward.
That is why they decided to leave to Lviv, and they were on the road for 2 days in their car. Olena was scared to give birth in the bombshelter, since medics could just be limited in how much help they can provide to her newborn.
She was scared to be on the road for so long being 38 weeks pregnant, but she had no choice.
Olena Kuzmenkova, 32, sits on her bed in the Lviv State Regional Clinical Perinatal Center a day after giving birth to her first son Danylo, in Lviv, Ukraine. in Lviv, Ukraine on March 14, 2022. Olena is from Shchaslyve, Kyiv region, and fled her home to Lviv due to the war and danger.
She wasn’t sure that the hospital would be working, and her labor started at night, she would need to be accompanied by the territorial defense to the maternity ward.
That is why they decided to leave to Lviv, and they were on the road for 2 days in their car. Olena was scared to give birth in the bombshelter, since medics could just be limited in how much help they can provide to her newborn.
She was scared to be on the road for so long being 38 weeks pregnant, but she had no choice.
“Of course you understand that at home you have a child bed that you picked, a dresser for the baby that you picked..”
“And you are driving with one suitcase of things for a baby and enough clothes for us, hoping we could go home soon. What else we can do?”
Talking about the war she said “I learned about the war when I woke up from 4 explosions. Some were only 8 km from our home. I woke up an I didn’t understand what happened, we turned on TV and then friends started calling”.
“We were scared when Brovary were shelled, the windows were shaken, when Borsypil was bombed first time, when you wake up at 5am and think what just happened. When in Vasylkiv they hit the oil base, we could see it from a window. It’s a scary. You understand we need to hold on cause of a baby, but it blows your mind”.
She burst into tears when talking about her parents “My parents are in Nizhyn in Chernihiv region, and one can’t leave or enter the city. They stayed there. But a lot of military move past the city, and it’s ho outside of the city and it’s recommended to go in or out because everything might be mined”.
Olha, 31, closes curtains while her 7-years old daughter Polina plays on the phone on Sunday, March 20, 2022 in Lviv, Ukraine. Olha is a third time surrogate mother being 8 weeks pregnant with a baby for an American couple. She is from Sumy and due to the Russia's war against Ukraine had to leave her home. She arrived in Lviv yesterday with her 7-year old daughter Polina as a temporary stop on her way to Krakow, Poland.
Tymofii Shapoval, 10, a Ukrainian patient who has brain tumour, waits in the ambulance while medics plan his evacuation from the Medyka border crossing via helicopter in Medyka, Poland on March 30, 2022. Russia invaded Ukraine in late February creating a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, and shortly after St. Jude teamed up with foundations in Poland to evacuate children with cancer from the war zone.
Local residents came for the Sunday service to the Saint Paraskeva church in Kalynivka, Vinnytsia region, Ukraine on February 27, 2022. Russia launched a full scale war on Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
Monument to Dante Alighieri stands protected by sandbags from potential Russian missiles on the Volodymyrska Hill park in Kyiv, Ukraine on November 8, 2023.
A miners talks on the phone next to the cage that will take him down to the coal mine for his shift in Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine on August 15, 2023. Some women started to work underground in this mine after Russia launched the war in Ukraine and many men, around 800 at this mine, were mobilised to fight. Before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia, women only worked above ground, but now around 74 women work underground, though performing physically easier jobs. They are not yet allowed to work at the physically demanding jobs of coal extraction.
Olha, 35, stands in the tunnel in the coal mine in Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine on August 15, 2023. Some women started to work underground in this mine after Russia launched the war in Ukraine and many men, around 800 at this mine, were mobilised to fight. Before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia, women only worked above ground, but as for now around 74 women work underground in this mine, though performing physically easier jobs. They are not yet allowed to work at the physically demanding jobs of coal extraction.
Two women walk past the portraits of fallen soldiers at the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen Defenders of Ukraine near the St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv, Ukraine on November 8, 2023.
Olena, 47, an underground machine operator, sits at her workplace in the coal mine in Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine on August 15, 2023. Some women started to work underground in this mine after Russia launched the war in Ukraine and many men, around 800 at this mine, were mobilised to fight. Before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia, women only worked above ground, but now around 74 women work underground, though performing physically easier jobs. They are not yet allowed to work at the physically demanding jobs of coal extraction.
Mariia Myskiv, 26, gives birth to her daughter Sofiia at the Kyiv Perinatal Center in Kyiv, Ukraine on October 9, 2023. Mariia's husband is in the military, they got married 1 month after the full-scale invasion haven known each other only for 2 months. Her husband has an amputated leg.
Serhiy Kopyschyk, 25, and Svitlana Kopyschyk, 25, pose for a portrait with their son in Pokashchiv village, Volyn region, Ukraine on October 3, 2023. Svitlana and Serhiy got married in January this year and their son Marko was born in August. He joined the army the day after the invasion and he suffered severe injuries on July 27, 2022 in Kherson region, which resulted in him losing both legs, one above the knee, and eyesight in one eye. They live with Svitlana's parents and dream to buy their own house.
Serhiy Kopyschyk, 25, holds his 1 months old son Marko in Pokashchiv village, Volyn region, Ukraine on October 3, 2023. Svitlana and Serhiy got married in January this year and their son Marko was born in August. He joined the army the day after the invasion and he suffered severe injuries on July 27, 2022 in Kherson region, which resulted in him losing both legs, one above the knee, and eyesight in one eye. They live with Svitlana's parents and dream to buy their own house.
Photo taken at the Lviv Lychakiv Cemetery in March of 2022.