Photoreports

Thousands of Jewish pilgrims journeyed to Uman to pray at the grave of a revered Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav. Their Rosh Hashanah prayers for renewal and peace are intertwined with the ongoing devastation of the war in Ukraine. In the narrow streets and crowded courtyards, the rituals of pilgrimage became both an act of faith and a moment of reflection.

Ukraine’s 28th Brigade has been among the many on the forefront of the defense of Kostiantynivka, a key stronghold that Russia has been attempting to capture for months. First defending Chasiv Yar, the brigade had to relocate closer to the city. We spent a day with a crew manning a US-made M109 artillery gun—between massive blasts and the constant threat of Russian FPVs. 

Ai Weiwei’s new installation, Three Perfectly Proportioned Spheres and Camouflage Uniforms Painted White, opened September 14 in Kyiv’s Pavilion 13. It confronts Russia’s war in Ukraine with stark symbolism and calls for reflection on violence and peace.

For the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has carried out a direct strike on Ukraine’s government quarter, hitting the Cabinet of Ministers building and destroying part of its upper floors.

A woman sobs as rescuers pull her son from the rubble. A child’s toy lies waterlogged in the mud. Firefighters carry away dead bodies, while plumes of smoke rise over Kyiv’s skyline. This is what remains when Russia targets civilians.

Before you can train to become one of Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces, you have to survive “Selection.” It’s not a course. It’s not preparation. It’s a brutal test of endurance, resolve, and mental toughness—designed to break most and reveal the few who can operate where others can’t.