On February 24, 2022, Vladimir Putin ordered an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. In the several weeks that have followed, there has been heavy shelling and rocket attacks, with several cities under siege or destroyed, and countless lives lost. The Ukrainians have mounted a strong defense, slowing down Russian troops in some cities, but at the time of publishing, the country remains under intense bombardment.
I have been photographing conflicts since I was 27—more than 12 years now. The effects of photographing war comes in waves; there are peaks during the job, followed by low, low valleys. In stressful environments I can’t always fully absorb the effects and feelings that come with what I’m seeing, because I have to focus on the job.
I arrived in Kyiv a few days before the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on February 24. The night before, people were out and about in the city’s center, eating at restaurants, shopping, strolling, enjoying their evening. It was a typical cold winter night in Kyiv. The next day a blanket of stillness fell over the city and you could hear a pin drop in the streets. Everyone was frightened and stayed inside, people came out only to walk their dogs, stores were closed—it wasn’t unlike the very beginning of COVID.
The bombardment from Russian forces varies from city to city. The situation in cities like Kharkiv and Mariupol is quite desperate—they are in ruins with hundreds dead and thousands of lives still at risk. In Kyiv, the situation is largely fluid and unpredictable. Over the past two weeks the bombings decreased, and people began to venture out of their houses. But then, just a few days ago, Kyiv experienced some of the heaviest bombing since the start of the invasion. I could hear it last night from my bedroom window. The shelling sounded closer, and it was constant. Right when you think one thing is going to happen, something else happens and it throws you for a loop.
But despite the ceaseless unpredictability and danger, what’s most remarkable about the situation is the Ukrainians’ unified defiance. Their resilience is awe-inspiring. Everyone is pitching in—volunteering, signing up to fight or to support the war effort.
‘It Feels Like the 36th of February. I Only Count the Days of War’
Pinas Flash Report
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