War in Ukraine

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.

With Russian missiles falling and millions displaced, holding elections in Ukraine would mean acting against the Constitution. But President Zelenskyy says Ukraine is ready to meet its partner's demands, as this may accelerate the signing of a ceasefire agreement. He has instructed Parliament to explore the legal pathway.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the United States has become the world’s largest supporter of Ukrainian defense.

Suffocation with plastic bags, breaking fingers, electric shocks to the genitals, and forced self-mutilations of pro-Ukrainian tattoos are only a small part of what Russia imposes on Ukrainian POWs and captured civilians. The Memorial Human Rights Defence Centre released a report uncovering these systematic atrocities.

Over the past four years, Ukraine’s defense industry has transitioned from relative obscurity to the forefront of modern warfare. Both Ukraine and Russia are now developing and countering new technologies at a pace measured in weeks, not months. At the same time, Russia continues daily strikes, infiltration tactics, and information pressure, forcing Ukraine to adapt just as quickly on the battlefield and beyond.

In every ceasefire proposal, Putin insists on the demand to the transfer of the Donetsk region to Moscow’s control. His motive is clear: Ukraine has heavily fortified the region, turning major cities into a massive defensive barrier. Capturing these areas would cost Russia hundreds of thousands of lives and tens of billions of dollars.