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A Walk Through Ukraine’s Frontline City Among FPV Drones, FAB Bombs, and Civilians—In Photos
The first thing that stood out in Druzhkivka—a frontline city in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region—was not the destruction. It was the people. Despite near-daily Russian drone attacks, FAB bomb strikes, and artillery fire, thousands of civilians still remain in this frontline city, trying to survive another day under constant threat.
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Since Russia’s invasion, Druzhkivka has become an important rear-area hub for Ukrainian forces, journalists, volunteers, and evacuation efforts because it sits near key combat zones like Chasiv Yar, Kostiantynivka, and Bakhmut. At the same time, the city is regularly targeted by Russian missiles, drones, artillery, and guided FAB bombs.
But the first impression of Druzhkivka was the number of civilians. There were an unreal number of them. Unusually many for a city living under the constant threat of Russian strikes. There were around ten of us, all wearing body armor and carrying weapons, walking through a city where Russian strikes hit almost daily. Despite all of this, life there had not stopped.
It was difficult to understand why people still remain in a place that Russia is methodically trying to destroy. We spoke with some locals. Many said they simply had nowhere to go, no money, and no opportunity to start over somewhere else. For many, evacuation stopped being a simple option long ago—people are literally surviving under constant terror.
While we were moving through the city, a Russian FPV drone was shot down right in front of us. Before we even arrived, another drone had struck a civilian car, burning it completely. Incidents like this have become such a routine part of life in frontline towns that locals speak about them almost casually. Russia continues targeting not only military positions, but also ordinary cities where civilians are still trying to live.
Despite this, our walk through the city itself remained relatively calm. We managed to speak with residents, document the streets, and photograph daily life in Druzhkivka. Some civilians were, to put it mildly, unfriendly toward journalists and the military. In conditions shaped by constant fear and isolation, such attitudes can still be found here.
But the strongest feeling in Druzhkivka is exhaustion—exhaustion from a war Russia brought directly into people’s lives. You can see it in everything: in people’s faces, in conversations, in the empty streets after another strike, and in the sound of drones that has become part of everyday reality.
All of this can be seen in the photographs.
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