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The absurdity of warBucha, Chernihiv, Kharkiv - Ukraine, April 2022 - Ongoing
When I entered the Barabashovo market of the second-largest city in Ukraine, Kharkiv, instead of a busy and lively scene, I found mannequins blanketing the floor in one of the shops. The sound of artillery was in the background. My mind immediately returned to the Church of St. Andrew Pervozvannoho in Bucha. Many people found dead have been buried in a mass grave excavated in its backyard. On February 24th, Russian troops were ordered to mount a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on a “special operation” to save their “Ukrainian brothers and sisters” from the NATO-backed, Kyiv regime. However, the Russian fraternity has come at a great cost to Ukraine. According to the UNHCR, the war has created a fast-rising exodus displacing more than a quarter of Ukraine's population: six million people have fled the country, while eight million are internally displaced. UN agencies confirmed that there have been at least 11,152 civilian casualties since February, though many experts (including the OHCHR) believe that the actual figures are considerably higher. The war has devastated the country’s infrastructure, economy and normal way of life as every Ukrainian is impacted by the destruction. The following photo essay shows the immediate consequences of the Russian invasion on Ukrainian cities and the emotions of the Ukrainians resisting in the country. This work was possible thanks to the help of local producers Maxim and Sergey and the support of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine. Indian Photo Festival International Photography Awards |
