Photoreports

Ukrainians aged 18–24 do not have to serve, but many still walk into recruitment centers on their own. Through portraits and first-person stories, we capture what motivates them, and how a year in the army is reshaping who they are and who they hope to become.

Studying underground has become the reality for many Ukrainian children living in close proximity to the border with Russia and the frontline. We visited two kindergartens in Zaporizhzhia and Vilniansk, a city in the region, to see how the kids celebrate St. Nicholas Day underground.

The war turned Vladyslav Krasnoshchok, a Kharkiv surgeon and underground artist, into one of Ukraine’s most provocative war photographers. His language is raw, and his images even more so—together they capture a truth that goes beyond what the eye sees.

The power radiating from a person’s gaze can’t be replicated. Just five photos, ten eyes, and the boundless energy they hold. Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SOF)—whose work remains largely unseen—shape outcomes far greater than most realize, in a nation fighting for its survival.

We enter the hospital room to meet one of the patients. Before we know it, we’re talking to everyone in the room. They’re all soldiers here, injured on the front line. “You can take a photo of me, but I won’t be able to tell you anything. I don’t remember,” says 23-year-old Serhii. The next day, he’ll be among the first called in for surgery, performed by “Face the Future” Medical mission.    

As Russia’s war on Ukrainian energy intensifies, blackouts roll across both Kyiv and the nation. The capital slips into an unfamiliar darkness—streets lit only by headlights, flashlights, and the flicker of candlelight behind windows.